


Attack On Titan: The Warriors of Light and Darkness

by LordAkira18



Category: Guyver, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, F/M, Horror, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2018-05-06 07:52:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 119,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5408876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordAkira18/pseuds/LordAkira18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren Yeager's life is changed forever when two warriors from another universe fall into his. This sparks the beginning of his new life. One forged on blood, fire, trust, friendship and love. But little does he know that the true enemies of humanity are closer than he and anyone else thinks, and that they are a threat even greater than the Titans. Parings, and possible lemons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Day Everything Changed

"We don't have to go outside the wall for our whole lives. We can eat, sleep and survive just fine but...isn't that...like being a caged animal?" Eren Yeager, Age 12, Year 845, The day Wall Maria fell.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eren Yaeger had never known the joys of a good life.

Most of this was due to himself, however, and his inability to never find the good in people; as he always expected to find the bad. Because of this, Eren's life had consisted of many bad days.

There was the day he broke his leg; which he claimed hurt like hell.

The day he broke his nose in a fight; and saying it was a fight would always be his defence next to his friend's words.

And, of course, there was the day he murdered two people when he tried to save his step sister. Despite his words about killing animals disguised as people, Eren had regretted that day to a very tiny degree. It was understandable, as one does not simply kill people without feeling something in return. And whilst Eren had always felt some kind of satisfaction on that day; there was a small amount of guilt. The dead's faces haunted him; and he had noticed how it made his father seem to distance himself from Eren. But, out of both pride and honest insecure fear, Eren could never bring himself to explain to his father that he was blinded by his rage and the sight of Mikasa's dead parents had mentally scarred the boy. Not that it mattered really; his father had always avoided talking about the subject when he tried to tell him.

However, the day when a giant (a really, bloody huge one) Titan kick a hole in the wall around Shinganshina and he found his mother crushed under his house—easily made the top of his 'worst days of my life' list.

However, Eren had a feeling that he should have been expecting it. The day had started off like any other, he and his Mikasa had gone off to get fire wood but he had stopped to take a nap by a local tree. The boy then had a dream, but it was brief shards that he now couldn't remember even if he wanted to. The only thing he did remember from it was seeing blood and when he woke, for one reason or another, he cried. He couldn't understand it, why did he shed tears? He didn't feel sad at all, but still tears rolled down his cheek. It both annoyed and perplexed him, so he made his sister swear not to tell his doctor father; or anyone for that matter.

Then, after a fight with Mr Hannes, Eren went off to see the return of his heroes: The Survey Corps. Needless to say, the boy wasn't all that happy when he saw them return looking as though they had gone to hell and back. However, what really got under the boy's skin was when some smart ass claimed how useless they were; causing Eren to through a rock at him.

However, despite all this, he was unshaken in his wish to join their ranks.

Only with them, did he have a chance of escaping the walls, and seeing the outside world.

When his sister told his parents; their reactions were mixed. His father, whom was about to leave on business, didn't seem to mind; at all. He actually told his wife that there was no point to hold back Eren's 'inquisitive' mind, as he called it. Then, for some reason or another, he promised his son that when he would show him what he kept in their basement; much to Eren's delight. His mother, however, was against his dream; calling it foolhardy. He denied her, calling everyone in their town fools for being content in living within the confined walls.

Later that day, Eren met up with his friend, Armin Arlert. The trio of friends (or rather just the boys, as Mikasa was as quiet as ever) discussed their opinion of going outside the walls. It was then that Eren learned that Armin did share his views but pointed out that it was dangerous all the same, and how that the wall wouldn't stand forever. Armin was a pacifist, so it was only natural for him to say what he said.

Eren did listen and understand his friend's words, he really did, but it still wouldn't stop him. He knew about the risk, of the Titans' deadly power and tenacity, but he didn't care. That was the only thing that made him different from others: he wasn't afraid. Eren was more than willing to die for his dream, to kill as many Titans as he had to, to risk it all just so he could go past the walls he had spent his whole life living in.

But, at that second, it appeared.

He never thought he'd see one so soon, but Eren immediately knew that the Titan that looked over the wall was no ordinary Titan. And then—all hell broke loose when it kicked a hole into the wall; and 'normal' Titans entered Shinganshina. However, Eren didn't care about the Titans. Nor did he care about anything in the world at that moment, as all he did was hope that his mother was all right.

—and prayed that it wasn't too late for him to apologise to her—

He had no idea how the rest of that day was going to transpire.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, North of Shinganshina District, Wall Maria

Eren hissed through his tightly clenched teeth as he tried, with all his might, to lift the debris that was once his home off his mother. Just a moment ago, he and Mikasa saw just how dangerously close the Titans were to their location; and dread begun to seep into the boy's mind and the pit of his stomach. He hardly registered his mother's voice, as she shakily asked if the Titans had entered the city.

Eren was all too aware that if he and Mikasa didn't hurry, they were all as good as dead!

In a mixture of anger and desperation, the emerald eyed boy snarled to his sister. "Mikasa, HURRY!" Praying to whatever god was out there to give him strength, Eren tried even harder to move the wooden pillar.

Desperately ignoring the pain in his fingers, as splinters stabbed into his soft flesh.

Mikasa didn't verbally respond; she merely tried to move the object by her strength. She too prayed for more strength. The girl had lost one family; she wasn't about to lose another.

Carla, knowing that their demise was imminent, urgently told her son. "Eren, you've got to go! Just take Mikasa and run!" He didn't seem to hear her, so she said with a higher note of desperation in her voice. "Eren!"

Said boy would have laughed had his heart not been in his throat, or trying to ignore the numbness that begun to take hold his arms, "I want to more than anything, mom!" the boy admitted in a shout, his neck still craned as though he was looking to the heavens; and his eyes tightly shut. "But first I need you on your feet!"

Carla felt despair take her heart and held back tears, knowing that what she was about to say would be difficult for her child to hear. "My legs have been crushed, sweetheart, even if I wanted to move I couldn't. I'd only slow you down." Gritting her teeth as she knew this next part would break her heart, as well as his, she hissed through clenched teeth "just take your sister and get out of here, now!"

Tear stung Eren's eyes as hopelessness begun to consume him, rising from his stomach to his arm to his finger tips. Making the pillar seem all the more heavier. He wanted to escape, but he'd be damned if he was going to leave his mother behind. His despair quickly mixed with his anger, as he then shouted "THEN I'LL CARRY YOU!"

If there was one thing Eren Yaeger was; he was defiant to the very end.

"SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME, FOR ONCE, DAMNIT!" Mrs Yeager screamed, glaring harshly at her son who looked back at her in a depressing mix of shock and hurt. Softer and more desperately, she continued as she stared into her baby's emerald eyes "one thing I'm asking you, one thing..." even if she wanted her children to survive and leave her, it didn't mean that she had to stay composed for it as she whimpered "please, Eren, just run. And live."

Those words were so ironic to Eren that they were astounding, living was on the top of his list, but he ignored her all the same. Growling like a beast, he continued to persist in trying to move the wood. Carla was about to try and get Mikasa to take Eren forcefully but the words died in the throat when she saw the tears leak smoothly from her usually stoic daughter's face as she too continued to try and move the offending object. She knew she couldn't get her adopted child to move her biological son, she knew all too well of the girl's past and could easily understood her reason for not doing what she said.

The footsteps of the Titans were getting louder, a grim reminder for the family as it slowly but surely got closer. Carla felt cold sweat roll down her brow as the end seemed to be on the horizon and she, like her son, was powerless to do anything to stop it. She, like any other mother, honestly valued her children's life more than her own. Because of this, it made her clench in thinking that her dear son and daughter were about to have their lives cut so sadly short.

However, even though it was a dark thing to think, she was happy that her children were willing to die with her. At least then they would all go at the same time to wherever one goes after they leave this retched world.

After being put to the brink of extinction, the people of the walls had always dreaded this day but never thought to much about it, but now that day was here, and people were panicking and leaving others to die. However, most parents were desperate to make sure their children survived; so that their blood line would continue and they'd die without remorse or guilt. Knowing that their beloveds would be safe would be good enough for them.

Hope had become an illusion and an impossibility; it had rotted away and died long ago. Along with a great deal of people.

A whipping sound tore through the air, and Carla saw none other than Hannes quickly pace towards them; his face calm yet his eyes alight with worry. As the man came to kneel down before her, she said desperately "Hannes, take the children and get out of here, quickly!"

Hannes, who honestly hadn't expected this kind of reaction, smiled reassuringly down at the woman as he stated "hey, have you forgotten, Carla? I'm a trained soldier! My job involves killin' Titans and saving lives!" getting to his feet with a face of fierce determination, the blonde haired man ran past Eren and charged towards the Titans after taking up one of his twelve blades. The Yeager family all heard him yell: "I'll take down this overgrown freak, wait and see!" Hannes deliberately ignored Carla's pleas to not fight, his grip on the blade tightening as he thought over his goal.

He wouldn't make a big deal out of it and do anything fancy, he'd just wiz up and slash the back of the thing's neck. Thus getting all three of them out of harm's way, he was finally going to pay back the dept he owed the Yeagers. It was a simple, fool proof plan that he was more that willing to see completed. However, Hannes was only human, and the man skidded to a halt when he stood about ten feet away from his target.

Hannes had seen Titans before, but only from the safe distance of being on top of the wall, not like this. As it stood no more that twelve feet away, all of the determination in Hannes' body left like a flame getting water dunked on it, the man was petrified.

The Titan, for its part, stood just as still as the human before it and just kept grinning. It seemed to be stuck with that horrible expression, incapable of changing it, it's lip muscles so tightly pulled back that the yellow teeth and pink gums were all exposed in a horrible kidology of a smile. It's eyes were brown, like that of a normal person, but where disturbingly empty of all life except for one emotion: hunger. And—what almost looked like—amusement. Although it's genderless body seemed frail and malnourished, one could tell that it had the strength to easily snap a person's spinal cord like a dry stick.

The man clenched his teeth together, trying to will himself to do something before the Titan tried to reach out and grab him, trying to break his gaze so that smile didn't etch itself into his memories and haunt his dreams. Despite his wish to help Carla and her kids, Hannes felt utterly small and insignificant at that moment. The cold hand of fear had grabbed his heart and weighted it down to the pit of his stomach, making his legs shake, and his arms feel heavy like lead. Finally able to break the inhuman creature's hold on him, Hannes hissed through his tightly clenched teeth and sheathed his blade. He then turned sharply on his heals and ran in the opposite direction.

He couldn't do it, so he had no choice but to respect Carla's wish, her final request.

"H-hey, Mr Hannes?!" Eren lost his grip on the pillar when said soldier grabbed the boy and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes; he then proceeded to grab Mikasa by the waist and ran. "W-what are you doing?! Mom's still...!" Eren's protests fell dead silent when he realised the horrible reality: Hannes was leaving their mother to die. He missed the look of relief on her face.

"Eren, Mikasa, I LOVE YOU! PLEASE, STAY ALIVE!" Carla called out as Hannes began running, yet the words did little to ease the sadness that ate away at her heart or wipe the look of deep sadness and hurt off her boy's face. The stomping was so loud that it was deafening, but it then came to a sudden halt, and Carla knew then that the Titan had made it to her. Suddenly something flashed through her eyes, memories of better times with her family, and the woman had to put her hand over her mouth to keep her sobs from reaching her children.

"Don't leave me..." she whimpered, her sorrowful voice muffled by her palm as the tears left her eyes freely; trailing down over the back of her hand. Despite wanting to save her children, she didn't want to leave them.

But most of all—she didn't want to die alone.

Eren could only watching helpless horror as the Titan leaned down and easily brushed aside his flattened house, so simply that it looked like it was moving leaves from a dead tree, and grabbed something with its massive left hand. He sucked in a hot breath through his teeth when he saw it was his mother, who he could see was withering in its grasp and the boy screamed out "STOP IT! NOOOOOO!" The affront before creation didn't crush Carla; rather it just lifted her up until she was dangling before it twisted face. Truthfully, it didn't want its prey to die before it ate her; humans tasted so much better when they squirmed in fear.

Slowly, its jaw opened until the whole top side of its head was facing the evening sky, and it prepared to savoir its feast.

Mikasa looked away, the look on her face that of someone who had seen a similar horror and was sickened to live through it again. She saw something like this once; she couldn't bear to see it again. It would most likely kill off whatever little sanity and humanity she had left.

Eren continued staring in horror, his whole body going numb, and the whole world seemed to blur out of existence and into a dark mess of colours that merged with the evening sky. There was no hope, nothing could be done. Humanity was a spineless race who didn't have the guts to face these monsters, no one was going to save his mother. Eren realised the sad truth in that one terrible moment, something he had believe all his life but now knew it for certain: home was a pen, and humanity were the cattle.

What was the point of living then, the boy then questioned, what was the point of training and fighting; if one would grow up it become mere food for the Titans?

However, Eren saw movement out of the left corner of his eyes, and when he turned to see it—two voices bellowed out magnanimously in perfect unity—one—mere—word:

"GUYVER!"

Red and blue filled the boy's eyes in a great flash, and he had to close his eyes to keep them losing his vision completely. At that one moment in time; Eren Yeager's life was changed forever.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Attack On Titan: The Warriors of Light and Darkness

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

North West of Shinganshina District, Wall Maria, One Minute Before the Appearance of the Colossal Titan

People went about their daily lives in Shinganshina, blissfully unaware of what was about to happen in the span of sixty seconds. Shinganshina's markets were always busy, as were their customers, so many people turned blind eyes to most activity around them. As such, most didn't notice a bright light appear in a lone alleyway, nor see the two figures lay on the ground once it left. Those who did merely shrugged it off and continued on their marry way; thinking it to be some trick of the light or perhaps just some metal glimmering.

Both the figures were boys, brothers to be precise, both of different ages and descents.

One of them was a boy of American descent, he looked to be somewhere in his early twenties, he was dressed in jeans with a black top and grey Superdry fleece; his clothing had tears and marks in various places. His face was rather handsome with hard maroon brown eyes that would reflect light in pinpoints of red, and his hair was black with red strips. He had three white lines running down his left brow to the middle of his check, souvenirs from a time long before a war.

The other boy was younger, somewhere in his teens. He was a child of British descent, with a pale fair countenance and thin checks, his eyes were also brown but were much sharper and precise with a more natural iris colour. Unlike his brother, he was dressed in a formal black suit and trousers with a white shirt and bowtie. Like with his brother's clothing, though, his suit and trousers had numerous rips and slash marks on it.

Both looked like they had been mauled by a set of dogs, or some kind of animal.

"Oh..." the older sibling groaned, putting a hand on his forehead to try and rub out its numbing pain, "did anyone get the number of that bus that hit me?" he asked in a drowsy voice; blinking the light out of his eyes as he laid on his back. Bus was perhaps a bit of an overstatement, he then thought, as he felt more like a crowbar had been cracked over his head.

"We weren't hit by a bus" the boy turned his head in the direction of where the deadpanned reply was uttered, awake enough to already know what the source was. In a seating position, the younger sibling looked at his brother with a blank expression that didn't express tiredness or pain "we were sucked into a wormhole, remember?"

A groan filled the ally, "I was joking" the American boy muttered in return, himself now in a seating position as he rubbed both his throbbing temples. One thing he had come to learn about his younger brother, though did sometimes forget, was that he had no sense of humour; at all. He took any and all jokes seriously, making him a killer of most moods and parties.

Said boy rolled his eyes in mind annoyance, inwardly cursing his lack of humor, before he looked around and took in their surroundings. He furrowed his brows in confusion, he had expected their enemy's attack to kill them, not—send them to a dirty ally way. "Where are we?" he inquired softy, his question loud enough so his brother could hear him.

The American, who now also saw that they were not at the gates of Heaven or Hell, replied with "I have no idea." He didn't need to reply; but he did anyway. Once he got to his feet, he brushed off the dirt that stuck to his jeans and fleece and looked to the sky, rather surprised that his was the late afternoon rather than midnight. "Indeed, where are we?" he murmured.

"Definitely not in Kansas" was the dry reply from his brother, who was also now on his feet and dusting his clothing off, unknowingly cracking a joke that made his brother grin slightly. Crossing his arms, he allowed his face to show a bit of his annoyance as he stated "this is certainly not what I was expecting."

"Same here" the red stripped hair boy piped in agreement, his grin falling and face becoming somber, "I thought his attack was going to kill us; though it looks like we've been transported somewhere else." He pointed to the sky above, "both in the sense of time, and location."

The England born child looked up at the sky and gasped lightly, trying to maintain his composure as usual, before he then looked at the market before them and jabbed a finger in its direction after a moment of thought. Simply, he said "let's ask where we are."

As he started walking forward with his ever collected expression, the Washington born child quickly got to his side exclaiming "whoa-whoa, hold up!" When he did stop, the American boy questioned ambivalently "is it really a good idea for us to just ask someone randomly? Don't you think it'll make us look a bit suspicious?"

His reply was a thin smile and the words "trust me."

They left it at that. Both being brothers and also having fought together for nearly two years, the boys trusted each other greatly. They had faith in each other. Though with the younger brother being the more level headed one out of them, he usually made the decisions for both of them. This wasn't to say that he didn't appreciate or ignored his brother's words, certainly not, he just knew how to handle situations more carefully without rushing in hard-headed or without a strategy.

Walking up to a nearby merchant, the man smiled at them and said joyfully "afternoon lads! What would you like?"

The British warrior immediately analysed the man, his eyes narrowing. The man was obviously human, no Zoanoid scent could be detected, and seemed to be of German descent; though spoke English fluently. He was selling various kinds of fruits and vegetables on a wooden stand, and the warrior's brows furrowed as it implied that they were in an old period of time. "This is definitely not good." He remarked mentally, his lips a thin line. Looking at the man, he questioned "can you tell me where we are?" he tried to keep his voice as calm and as polite as possible; but failed to make it sound casual as his step brother flinched at the slight coldness to his tone.

He was anti-social, that meant that society and strangers didn't mix well with him.

He man seemed taken aback by the question, but grinned hearty none-the-less "where are we? Heck, son, we're in Shinganshina!" he replied brightly, if not jubilantly. He then asked with a teasing grin "how can you not know that?"

The younger brother kept back a scowl, "Shinganshina?" it was a strange name, he noted, as it sounded Japanese. But aren't these people, as he looked at some of the nearby towns folk, German? It confused him, and the boy didn't like being confused. Confusion meant no ideas, no ideas meant no plans, and no plans meant disorder.

The American noticed his brother's conflicted look, but his gaze was quickly caught by a sight that made his eyes widen in pure shock. Unable to look away, he muttered to his brother "Bro?" No reply, so he did it again with a higher note "Yo Bro!"

Shook out of his thoughts, and not appreciating it, said boy turned to his brother with a irked expression that left when he noticed the look on the red striped black hair boy's face. Raising a brow of curiosity, he followed his gaze and felt his blood run cold when he saw it. A white wall, about a district away from them, stood a mighty 50 meters tall. It followed around the entire town, reminding the Brit of a novel he read once a lifetime ago. Feeling the cold sweat roll down his brow, he looked back to the fruit-selling man and asked with a shaky voice "what...is that?!"

The wind stopped, everything became still for a fleeting three seconds. Nobody in the city noticed it, but the brothers and there heightened senses did.

KRACK-BOOM!

Right after the boy uttered his question, and before they could truly ponder on the sudden stillness, golden and neon green light danced over everything and a rock shattering explosion ran through the ears of everyone in Shinganshina. The ground jolted, and the boys nearly fell flat on their asses at how violently the earth beneath them shook. It ended as abruptly as it started, and then all became still once more.

His legs still shaking, the older brother could only stutter out "w-what...t-the hell was t-that?!"

The younger brother was no better, he could feel his legs were about to give out. After taking some deep, calming breaths, he turned back to the merchant and asked in a slightly gruff voice "what on earth was that?" he got no response. He saw that the man was gaping up in the direction of the wall, a look of horrified shock written all over his features. The British child raised a brow in confusion, and followed his gaze until he became as still as a statue.

He did not need to tell his brother about, he already saw it himself.

On the top of the wall was what looked like, a hand. A hand that lacked any skin, just pure red muscle, and looked about as big as a lake. It clenched the wall, probably to support whatever it was attached to and causing the structure to crack under the strain, and then a large shadow casted over the local houses near that section of the wall.

As bullets of sweat rolled down their necks, both brothers could hear the still towns people around them whisper in disbelief and horror. However, the suit wearing boy homed in on the merchant and heard him utter "oh God...it's one of them..." the man swallowed the giant lump in his throat and then shouted with fear "IT'S A TITAN!"

This creature, this 'Titan' as the man called it, lack any and all skin; completely revealing its entire muscles to the worlds. Its jaw was big, seemingly jutting out forward much more than a normal mouth should and all of its teeth could be seen. One odd factor about this creature, however, was that steam was seething through its teeth and various crevices of its muscles.

It wasn't looking at them exactly, rather it was looking down at the people before it in its line of sight, but the expression on its face was questionable. It seemed—tired, almost displeased. But why?

KA-BOOM!

The spell of awe and fear that had been cased over the city was quickly broken when a second, magnanimous explosion ripped through the air and shattered the eerie silence that had fallen over Shinganshina. Wind rushed over the boys like a tidal wave of water, and they were certain they saw people literately being swept off their feet and flying over them.

It took all their power not to suffer the same fate, let alone be forced to their knees or arses.

Debris rained down on the town a few miles away from them to their right, flying through the giant dust cloud made by the entrance of the wall, destroying houses and crushing those who could not find the willpower to move. When the roaring of the wind currents stopped, as well as the Titan seeming to just disappear just as suddenly as it had appeared, it was immediately replaced by screaming.

The younger brother's mind raced as he tried to understand the situation, though he quickly felt fear grow in the pit of his stomach when he heard the merchant utter in horror "they...they've gotten in, the Titans...God help us..."

The other brother looked back at the man with horrified disbelief "there are more of those things?!" he yelled.

The merchant didn't seem to hear him; his face was that of utter despair and loss. He looked like a man who had found the meaning of life and seen that humans had no meaning in corporeality over than something undignified. Walking back slowly he looked at the boys before him in what would be the last time, stating urgently "y-you two need to get out of here! R-run, quickly, WHILST YOU STILL CAN!" the last part came out as a roar of fear as he quickly turned on his heels and ran; along with all the other people around them.

The older brother gazed at his sibling, totally unsure as to what to do and hoping that he had some kind of plan. The British child's lips pressed into a thin line as he gave his brother a steely look, walking forward and easily passing through the fleeing towns folk, he muttered in a forcefully calm voice "follow me." The American only nodded, trailing behind his brother and into the ally where they had emerged. Jumping with inhuman ease, they got onto the roof of the building to their left and looked at the situation before them with a higher view.

What they saw was completely beyond their expectations.

They saw many of the giants, Titans as they seemed to be called, rooming through the streets. They noticed that they were much smaller than the one that had broken through the wall, and also seemed more human in appearance. They had skin, differed in sizes but all shared two distinct features: they were genderless, and had disturbing-as-hell faces. They looked like something that would be conjured up in a nightmare, each expression totally unfitted to be in the creatures' faces and to even exist at all.

Their heightened senses could smell the fires, smoke and blood; and to their horror—the latter smell was growing by the second.

Suddenly the American heard something, his ears perking at a cry that was carried to him by the wind "MOM!" turning his head in the direction of the scream, the boy mutter to his brother to follow him and quickly left without waiting for his response. Jumping over houses, and debris and corpses, he came to a stop at the top of a house; he could only look on at the sight before him.

His brother quickly caught up with him and got to his side, standing half a foot behind him he saw what made his sibling stiffen into a statue.

Bellow them laid a flatten house, seemingly crushed by some of the flying concrete from the attack on the wall, which was miraculously the only one out of the whole street. However, it was not that which got the brothers' attention.

Before the mess of wood and stone were two children, one boy and one girl, trying to help a woman out of the debris. They assumed her to be their mother. A thumping noise then rocked through the earth and time seemed to stop for all, looking over their shoulders the brothers saw that the Titians were no more than two block away. The woman must have been hurt; it wouldn't be long until one of them picked up on the smell of fresh meat. The otherworldly boys watched, one impassively and one worriedly, as the children tried to move the wooden pillar of their lone parent.

The younger brother idly noticed how different the girl was in comparison to her brother and mother. A step sister, perhaps? He'll get to that later.

They could hear the words being exchanged even from their distance, the mother practically begging her son to leave her behind and boy refusing with a passion that they both found admirable. The pleading turned into desperate shouting from both, neither one willing to listen to the other's morality and wishes, with the girl being in tears but said nothing as she continued lifting in horrid vain.

Finally, it become too much for the American, "We need to help them" he declared with absolute but he was stopped by his brother; whom grabbed his arm to hold him back.

When he questioned his sibling with slight anger and confusion, the young Brit calmly uttered "just wait a second, look over there."

With a slight nod of his head, the boy indicated to a blond haired man who quickly arrived on the scene. The British lad noticed the symbol on his jacket, instantly telling him he was of some kind of army, and also saw the weird device he had on his waist; holding what looked like twelve blades. It had some other function that brought the man here, he knew as there was no way he could have gotten here so quickly, but he couldn't fathom what it was or how it worked. It had something to do, he guessed, with the handle like objects that were in his hands before he placed them into his jacket's inner pockets.

What on Earth was that thing?

What followed was a prime example of why the brothers, mainly the American, loathed governments.

At first, the man was all smiles and charms; he honestly seemed able to kill the Titan. However, when he was but a few feet away he stopped dead in his tracks and just stood there, gaping like a moron. For a fleeting moment, the warriors thought he would snap out of his daze and attack, but the thought shriveled up and died instantly when the man sheathed his blade and ran back to the kids.

It was only when he grabbed them and ran off without the mother that the American hissed shakily with fury "that f-fucking coward...!"

Even the British child's face went dark with anger; he couldn't help but agree with his brother's rage fully. What he had witnessed was just a pathetic show of cowardliness. However, part of him did remind him that the man was only human, and humans were weak.

The Titan, whose face was something the boys might not ever forget, begun to dig away at the ruined house until it found it's down pray.

Finally the urge to uphold their oath and purge the world of that grinning monstrosity kicked in, and the pale child breathed lowly to his scarred brother with an undertone of raw anger "let's go." The American nodded, his maroon eyes alight with determination and shining crimson from reflecting the sun, and without another word they leaped off the house. Time slowed down as he, the Brit, crossed his left wrist with his American brother's right, their left and right hands facing the Titan; whom was completely oblivious to them and preparing to devour the woman.

If one had been there and looked very hard at the boys' palms, they would have seen the symbols on them. One their hands were curved symbols, one white and the other black—

"GUYVER!" The word roared out of the brothers' throats at the same time in perfect unity, their proclaim to ascended into a state far stronger than their regular human bodies and safe the woman from the abomination that was holding her, the sheer volume of the screamed demand made it almost sounded as though their vocal cords were going to tear apart from the strain.

Blue and red danced across their vision, their symbols flashing like stars, armour materialised from another realm and muscles connected it all together. Until finally—the warrior brethren were looking through crimson eyes.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, Two Minutes After the Breach in Shinganshina' Wall, North of Shinganshina District, Wall Maria

Ruled by his shame and fear, Hannes was dead set on getting far away from the Titan and getting Eren and Mikasa to safely. He knew that they would never forgive him for this, but it was okay. He was a coward, end of story, he had a chance to fight but he didn't. He was a pathetic human being and a failure of a soldier, he could even save one mere life even when he had the power to, so in the end they both had good reasons to resent him.

However, all plans to leave were suddenly dashed when a loud roar of an unknown word filled the air and great flashes of blue and red, which was quickly replaced by the sound of slashing blades; tearing flesh and a loud crash that resounded through the area.

Skidding to a halt, the blonde man turned to see what had happened—and what he saw was a bit below his expectations. Back at where the Yeager house once stood, a big dust cloud hovered over the earth silently, just barley hiding a pair of giant feet from his and the children's sight. The solider then noticed the blood that was splattered on the intact house next to them and on the ground, his eyes widened when he saw that the blood was evaporating into the air. It was Titan blood!

But—what in the hell happened in the span of ten seconds?!

"Oof!" Hannes bucked in pain when a knee rammed hard into his stomach; knocking all the wind out of him. He lost his grip on Eren, the one who hit him, and just barely kept his hold on Mikasa as he fell to his knees.

"MOM!" the young boy cried out, running into the dust cloud unstopped. However, the boy stopped dead in his tracks when a figure landed before him; he could only stare up at the being in a mixture of awe and fear. What stood before Eren Yeager looked like a human, but at the same time was not a human at all.

The being was clad in crimson armour from head to top, roughly about the size of a young man, armour that the boy had never seen before. It was smooth and metallic, but didn't seem to be made of metal that the boy was familiar with. In-between certain segments were, as far as Eren could tell, black muscles; seemingly the flesh of the being under the armour. On the top of the armoured hip was a metal orb, that's purpose was anyone's guess. Sprouting out of the being's right wrist was three blades, evaporating Titan blood could be seen clearing rising off it.

The head was what really got Eren's attention, as it was the most inhuman part of the being. Completely encased in armour, the head had a horn that sprouted from the front of the crown and then curved back in a half arch shape. A metal orb, slightly bigger than the one on the hip, rested in the being's forehead; its outer rim glowed blue for a second before fading. Above that rested a tiny green orb, which seemed more for display than anything else. Where a mouth would usually be was two even smaller metal orbs, one on top of the other, that stood in-between two breather mask like parts.

The creature's eyes were perhaps the most eye catching part of the head. They were a bright, unblinking crimson in the shapes of scalene triangles; and they seemed to stare right into Eren's soul; rooting the boy to the ground.

For a while nothing happened, time seemed to slow down as the two just stared at each other, the only real action was the being's blades retracting into its arm until they were utterly gone. Part of Eren's mind screamed to run and claimed that the creature before him was a Titan but he blocked the voice out completely, an action that most people would call him an idiot for doing.

However, Eren was not about to jump to conclusions like a raving idiot. Anyone with eyes could see that this creature didn't resemble a Titan in anyway, hell; it even was human size! He was told by his father once that the smallest known Titans were about three meters. Even though he didn't know what this creature was, he sure as hell wasn't about to just discriminate it and brand it as a new kind of Titan. Such an act would be both fruitless, if not completely pointless and just plain stupid. Who knew, maybe this creature could help humanity and their goal to defeat the Titan scourge. Maybe it was friendly, or intelligent. Its looks certainly implied it to be very advanced, so it had to have some kind of intellect.

Despite all this though, it still left the boy with one important question in his mind: what was it?

However, the spell over Eren was broken when a second being landed besides the first one and the boy's emerald eyes quickly darted to it; taking in its appearance. To the young Yeager's surprise, this creature was nearly identical to the red one; with only one major difference. The colour scheme of it's body was a polar opposite to the other being, its armour was sapphire blue with the muscles segments being stark white and the little gem above the metallic orb on the forehead was black instead of green.

However, Eren's eyes widen in horror when he saw who was in the creature's arms. Held in a bridal style way, was none other than Carla Yeager. "Oh God..." tears begun to roll down Eren's cheeks, his right hand covering his mouth to hold back great sobs. It was hard to tell though if the green eye boy's tears were out of relief, sadness or guilt. Staggering forward, completely undaunted by the new warrior, he grabbed his mother's limp hand and pressed it against his tear-stained cheek. She was cold to the touch, forcing Eren to hiccup out "Is...Is she...?"

"She's fine." Eren's eyes nearly popped out of his sockets as his head darted up to the blue creature's face. It had spoken. Its voice was that of a young man, though was slightly distorted by a way that the boy couldn't comprehend. Blood red eyes glared unblinkingly into his emerald ones and, after a palpable silence, the being continued speaking softly "she's just unconscious from the shock. She'll live, kid."

"Eren!" a young, female voice called out. Turning his head in the direction of the voice, the boy saw Mikasa faze through the thin dust that surrounded them and skid to a halt when she saw the two armoured warriors before her. Her eyes were wide, disbelief, fear and wonder all turned into one; and then her gaze landed on her adopted mother—and eyes filled with pure shock. "MOM!" the pale girl cried, causing the three before her to flinch in surprise. Like Eren before, but with much more speed, his dashed forward to her mother without fear of the beings before; she stopped short by Eren though.

When the black haired girl gave her brother a questioning look, he told her gently "she's alright, Mikasa. He's just out cold." Turing back to the blue warrior's face, whom was still looking down at them, Eren allowed himself to smile a small smile as he added "they saved her."

"But...what are they?" that question was about to be asked by Mikasa, but Hannes beat her to it; the man of which stood a few feet behind the children.

A sudden change occurred in the red warrior.

"You" he growled out, his voice that of a man as well but slightly deeper than the blue warrior, as his crimson eyes seemed to glow more intensely. Rage, and bloodlust, was evident in his voice. The blonde solider of the Garrison stepped back in fear as the blood red being slowly walked towards him, each step as deliberately slow as the last and each as foreboding as the thumping feet of the Titans. Finally, when the two were close to each other, the red warrior's hand flew out and clutched a handful of Hannes's uniform. Pulling him forward so they were eye-to-eye, the being hissed venomously "cowards like you make me sick, to the point of wanting to puke! You wear the uniform of a soldier, yet you couldn't save one extra life aside the children?! If you had done your job the right way, instead of running away, she could've been saved uninjured. And now her spilled blood is on your hands!"

Hannes could only gape at the creature, this was certainly the last thing he expected. He had expected to be called out for leaving Carla, sure, but not by this creature. Even so though, the words were scathing. The creature was basically calling him pathetic and nothing, each syllable felt like an arrow being shot into his heart and made the weight of his guilt seem all the more heavier. Feeling the tears burn the back of his eyeballs, the blonde haired man lowered his head as he uttered in agreement "you're right, I am pathetic. I had a chance to fight, but I didn't. I ran away. And it was-" raising his gaze up to the being, Hannes yelled as tears of shame rolled down his cheek, "because I wasn't brave enough! Their mother was going to die because I was a damn coward! You're RIGHT!" The last part of his cried was a sorrow filled roar.

The red warrior reeled back in apparent surprise, his face unchanging yet his body language readable. His tense muscles relaxed; and his body went lax slightly. However he quickly recovered and reeled back his tightly clenched right fist; his eyes widening with animalistic rage underneath his crimson armour. Hannes barely reacted, why should he? He knew that he deserved worse, so he was more than willing to accept his punishment.

"Yang!" the blue warrior shouted, causing all before him to flinch in shock at the sudden rise of his metallic voice. When his brother turned to look at him, his blue brother scolded him "if you haven't noticed, now isn't the time to be acting upon your morality!" He then calmed down a bit, yet still spoke in a serious voice, as he continued "we literately have bigger things to worry about."

The red warrior, Yang as he appeared to be called, glanced at Hannes once more before releasing him with an aggravated huff; muttering "I don't have a morality". Looking at the ground before, neither at the shocked children, his brother or the soldier he was about to strike, he allowed the wind to carry his softly spoken question "how is she?"

Underneath the metal and flesh, the blue brother smiled in relief. "As I've already told the boy," he began, "she's just out from the shock." Looking at Carla's pale face and then back to his brother, he informed with assurance "her legs are badly damaged, but luckily her spine is still intact, so healing her will be easy."

Relief flooded Eren like a splash of warm water and the boy found himself release a deep breath he didn't realise he was holding. As he looked up to the metallic face of the sapphire warrior, whom was still staring at his brother, he felt something blossom in his chest. It was a feeling that had almost been completely snuffed out of the boy mere moments ago, a feeling that his kind and even the Survey Corps seemed to lack completely. Hope. It was then in that moment, Eren Yeager felt more hopeful than he had ever felt in his entire life.

Movement happened behind the blue warrior, movement that Mikasa's sharp eyes noticed. Her eyes widening in horror, she pointed behind the entity and shouted "look out!"

Turning round sharply, the blue brother gasped quietly when he saw the Titan slowly arise to its bony feet; it's disturbing expression unchanging. Acting immediately, the crimson eyed warrior jumped a few feet back until he stood a foot before his red brother. The children followed his example; quickly making it to their side. That's when the brother noticed a peculiar thing about the creature: The arm that Yang had sliced off had completely re-grown, making it seem as though it hadn't of been attacked at all.

"Son of a bitch..." the crimson warrior uttered, thoroughly shocked.

His blue brother nodded, commenting "impressive regeneration capabilities." It was obvious to the two warriors that this monstrosity wasn't going to go down easily, so they decided it was time to see just how durable these Titans were. Before that, however, the blue warrior stepped over to Eren a kneeled before him so they were eye to eye. "What's your name, kid?" he asked, his distorted voice soft and friendly.

Eren blinked, quite surprised by the unexpected yet innocent question. Rounding up some courage, those red eyes were unnerving; he stated to his mother's saviour "it's Eren, Eren Yeager."

Nodding, and also mentally noting what the boy's last name meant in English, the blue warrior carefully handed Carla over to Eren. Once she was safely in her son's arms, with a little help from her daughter, he said "well Eren, I need you to look after your mother for a moment; whilst me and my brother take care of the Titan."

The young Yeager's green eyes followed the red and blue warriors as they walked a few feet over to the Titan; they seemed totally undaunted by the disturbing smile on its face. A smile he wasn't sure he'd ever forget. He then looked down to his mother's face and allowed his face to crack a small smile. He almost felt allowed his relief-filled tears to be shed but held them back, now wasn't the time to be over emotional. Nodding to his sister with a serious expression, he and her carried their mother back until they were standing by Hannes; the latter of whom couldn't look Carla in the face.

The brothers now stood before the Titan, the creature had yet to move out of its standing position. It seemed curious; perhaps wonder what these creatures were that interrupted its meal. Or wondering if they were edible.

Turning to his brother, who in turn turned to him, the blue warrior suggested "try the Head-Beam." Nodding, Yang turn his head back to the humanoid creature and craned his head upwards until his eyes were in line with its chest. The tiny green gem on his forehead lite up, glowing with pent up energy until it was a bright vermilion. Then, after allowing the energy to build for a few moments, a vermilion beam shot out of the gem and struck the Titan right in the chest. The abomination's reaction was short and brief: all it did was look down at where it got hit, and then it turned its blank gaze back to the brothers; it's smile never faltering.

Said warriors were shocked, to say the least. Yang made a colourful exclamation of disbelief, while his brother clenched all but his index finger into a fist. Pointing the digit at the Titan's forehead, his voice was unsurprisingly soft and calm as he muttered "let's see it take this." Power collected at the tip of the blue warrior's finger, building until it shone a bright blue and almost looked like a small star against the evening sky and dirt ground. Finally, after following the same routing as his brother, the warrior shot a blue beam of energy out of his index finger and nailed the smiling Titan right in the head.

This action got quite a reaction.

The giant cannibal's head jerked back when the beam passed right through it, a low pitch roar of pain rumbled its way out of the being throat. The giant took one step back—before become still and moving its gaze back to the warriors; though its smile still did leave its tightly stretched lips. To their shock and hidden horror, the beam had no effect at all; even as the hole in its forehead slowly begun to heal.

"Impossible!" Yang's brother couldn't help but exclaim, surprise and disbelief evident in his metallic voice, "that's the same attack that's killed hundreds of Zoanoids and mortally wound most Hyper ones...yet this creature, just shook it off like it was nothing!"

"Okay, enough of this shit!" the red Guyver shouted with obvious frustration, as he clasped both his wrist together and pointed his open palms at their surprisingly powerful opponent. The air around him begun to sway and swoosh as the attack powered up in his palms. After half a minute of powering up, a red ball of energy rested in-between his palms; bio-electricity dancing around it. "Try and stomach this!" with that fury coated bellow, the ball of energy flew from Yang's hand with speed akin to a canon ball and struck the Titan right in the abdomen; causing an explosion of blood and flesh.

The Titan roared loudly, a horrible howling sound that sent chills down the young Yeager's spines and rooted itself deeply into the brothers' memories, as it clasped one hand over the wound whilst the other went to the ground as the creature fell into a crouch position. However, the brothers could only gape under their armour, as the wound slowly healed itself until it was completely gone.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Yang shouted; the anger of his voice a smoke screen to hide the terror he felt rising in his stomach. A feeling mirrored silently by his brother.

Then, the Titan did something quite unexpected and horrifying—its facial expression changed. With agonising slowness, the muscles of its face twisted and contorted with audible flesh turning sounds; an indication that this creature had never once stopped grinning that loathsome smile since the start of its existence. Then, once it was finished, the Titian's face was not the wrongly amused smile—but a feral sneer with all the teeth exposed and the lips pulled back even more tightly than before; its brows lowered and drawn together in anger. Making its new expression all the more off-putting.

Cold sweat rolled down the brother's brows, as the blue one uttered out "what manner of monster are you?!"

On the sidelines, and needless to say that the group of humans were absolutely gobsmacked by the power they were seeing, Hannes quickly realised the horrible truth: these warriors didn't know how to kill a Titan. It quickly came to his attention that he did, and that he could tell them. But was that the right thing to do, for what if these creatures turned on them? What if they were part of some new, highly advanced race that were here to colonise their world; and that they were going to kill them after they had taken care of the Titans? However, when he finally glanced at the passed out face of Carla Yeager and then looked on to his burning home town, he knew that this couldn't be allowed to continue. That these unnatural warriors were better than him and any members of the Survey Corps. That, for the sake of humanity, it was worth the risk.

"HEY!" all eyes snapped to the blonde hair man as he shouted towards the brothers, who also turned to face the solider, "the only way to kill that thing is by cutting it as the base of the neck! No were else!"

A blanket of silence briefly settled, as the brother glanced at each other as if to wonder if the information was genuine, before it was lifted when they nodded in conformation and turned their attention back to the Titan; their metal feet stomping heavily against the dirt ground beneath them. "If that is true" the blue Guyver mused, an idea growing in his mind as he smiled knowingly under his armour, "then I suppose the Banshee Roar will cut it" he declared with absolute.

His crimson brother herd him and, quickly knowing that this attack would unintentionally hurt the children and adults behind them, turned back to their little audience of people and ordered "cover your ears, NOW!"

He couldn't have said it at a more rightful time.

The two orbs on the sapphire Guyver's mouth piece begun to glow red with power, to human eyes it would almost look like red waves of water. Humans of his world, at least. Then, he proclaimed aloud before taking in a deep breath: "Banshee Roar!"

"RUUUUAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH~!"

From the orbs on the blue warrior's mouth came a low-pitched, slightly distorted roar; eerily familiar to that of the Titan's roar but with much more humanity in it. As he roared, a set of sound waves flew from the orbs and were aimed specifically at the Titan's head and neck. It could just be seen visually, looking to the eyes of Eren like reality was being distorted by the noise. Thankfully, said boy, his sister, mother and Hannes only suffered a third of the awful sound.

The Titan, on the other hand, was roaring in agony. Blood leaked out of its nose, mouth and ears as it tried pointlessly to stop the sound.

None but the Guyvers knew what this attack was really doing to the giant. Yang's brother was not trying to merely deafen the cannibal, but he was in fact honing in on its molecular resonance frequency; and the bleeding was a sign of him trying to find the right frequency. Finally, after half a minute of haunting roaring, the once smiling Titan's entire head and neck exploded; disintegrated into a cloud of particles that were carried away and lost in the gentle evening breeze. Eren could only look on, utterly awestruck, as the now headless body fell onto its back and became still; kicking up a cloud of dust as it did so.

Heaving a sigh of relief, the blue Guyver turned to his brother and remarked in a calm, collected voice "well; that certainly worked."

Yang nodded in agreement, taking one last look at the corpse before turning to the children. "We can't just leave them like this." He stated after a moment of silence; his voice hushed.

His blue brother continued looking at him, saying nothing, not at all surprised by his words. Although both defended the innocent and upheld their own sense of justice, Yang had much more passion; which sadly was his greatest weakness at some points. However, he fully agreed with his brother on this one. They could not leave the children and their mother here, with the latter bleeding out from the severe wounds on her legs. They had to take them somewhere safe.

The only question was: where?

Could, in this bleak world, such a place even exist?

Yang was thinking along similar lines and, knowing that there was only one way to know if there was a safe place, snapped a question to Hannes "you, solider, where can we take this lot to safety?" The tone of his voice showed that this was a question that could not be left unanswered, and that a bad outcome might befall the solider if he did so.

Knowing this, and plainly seeing that the red warrior disliked him, Hannes pointed to the wall that was a few miles behind them; his eyes not leaving the crimson ones of the Guyvers. "Behind that wall, there are evacuation boats that will take civilians to the boundaries of Wall Maria. Should the wall be breached, the boats will take the civilians to the entrance of Wall Rose."

Taking in the information, and keeping in his surprise of knowing that there was more than one wall, the blue warrior nodded in comprehension and turned to his brother. "You take the woman, I'll take the children" was all he mumbled; soft voiced as usual.

Nodding, Yang walked towards the mother and children; the latter of whom were giving the warrior curious/slightly suspicious looks. Kneeling before the children, the red warrior requested softly "kids, give me your mother." Eren filched whilst Mikasa glared at the being, his face twisting up with worry and uncertainty whilst her eyes glowed with distrust. Frowning under his armour, slightly unsure as to what to do, the otherworldly warrior then vowed "I promise that me and my brother will get you all to safety."

Eren relaxed; there was no lie in the warrior's voice. As he quickly remembered Hannes's cowardliness from earlier, as well as the previous show of power mere moments before still fresh in his mind, he realised that this was the best case scenario. It was fairly obvious that these two were better than the entire Survey Corps, better than any human solider. As he gently handed his mother over to the open arms of Yang, Mikasa silently moved to stop the act. Even though these two saved her mother and themselves for the Titan, that did not mean to say that they had her complete trust.

Eren stopped her with a gentle raise of his hand and, when his sister demanded an explanation, he told her "trust me."

Trust was one of the few things people had in this world, the one thing that people held close to them. The trust between friends, loved ones and comrades was a powerful thing anywhere, but here it was like putting another's life in one's hand. The trust Mikasa had in her brother was one of the things she cherished the most, the one thing that compelled her to usually go about with his antics, one she would continue to uphold. Even now, in the face of uncertainty.

Noticing the girl relax as he walked forward, the sapphire Guyver knelt to the children's eye sight as his brother rose to his feet; stepping aside so he wouldn't be in the way. For a second, time froze. Again, emerald eyes stared into unblinking red ones. To the boy, it looked like he was staring into pools of blood. They reminded him of the eyes of demons from ghost stories Armin's Grandfather would tell them. There was no humanity, no emotion, no anything; just that heart stopping stare.

Then, time moved on sluggishly and the warrior intoned softly "are you two ready?"

Brought back to reality, Eren nodded confidently; refusing to show any form of hesitation. Mikasa was the same, though it was mainly due to not wanting to look weak in front of the strange warrior. Saved her mother he might of, she still had good reasons to be cautious of the blue and white being. She soon found herself in the same position as she was with Hannes mere minute ago, the warrior's arm hooked around her waist and he was lifted off her feet until she was in line with the blue being's chest. Her brother was in the same position, just on the opposite side.

It was in that moment that Eren was able to feel the warrior's body, and needless to say he was significantly surprised, so was Mikasa. The armour was indeed metal, but it was warm to the touch, a warmth like that of their mother when they would hug her. Neither of them could feel any pulsations of arteries, nor could they hear the faint but soothing sound of a heart beat.

But, as unnerving as the idea was for the warriors to seemingly lack hearts, it all but caused Eren's wonderment to grow. Just what were they?

"Are you both ready?" the warrior inquired, repeating his earlier words, looking form one child's face to another. When he got confirming nods from the both of them, he nodded back and added for reassurance "I promise my grip won't falter, nor will my brother lose his on your mother, you all will be taken to safety."

No one else was going to die today, that the promise that both the Guyvers intended to uphold; without failing by a single iota.

Shortly after they begun to jog forward the blue one stopped suddenly, turning back to face Hannes; the soldier having not left his position or uttered a word since he told them the one weakness of a Titan. "I suggest that you go off and help any other civilians that haven't made it out of the city, make yourself useful" he said after short beat of silence; his tone formal with a slightly noticeable undertone of disinterest. It seemed that the younger brother also disliked the soldier of the Garrison; though who could honestly blame him?

In any case, Hannes nodded in cognizance and the warrior turned away and resumed jogging. His red and black kept his gaze on the human for a few extra seconds, saying absolutely nothing but his gaze was still as chilling as it always seemed to be, before finally he gave the human a few memorable parting words:

"Pray that we never see each other again. For if I ever see you, or anyone, do that kind of thing again...you'll wish that the Titans have eaten you, for I will do far worse!"

With that, the warrior jogged off to catch up with his younger brother.

Hannes watched them leave, standing motionlessly in horrified terror as the unearthly warrior brethren took the Yeager family to safety and then jumped onto the house at the end of the street with little to no effort. They disappeared over the edge after that. He doubted he would ever forget those last words, they were going haunt his dreams far more than the smiling Titan's smile. The Garrison soldier then turned to the remains of the Yeager house after the paralyzing fear ebbed out of his system, a frown tugged at his lips, his mind riddled with worried wonder. What was Grisha going to say when he saw what reminded of his home? What was he going to think when he learns that he wife and children were saved by two metal beings? And on top of that, what was he going to think of Hannes when he learned that said soldier had nearly abandoned his wife?

Would he be furious?

Would he understand if he was told that it was his wife's own request to be left?

The blonde man shook his head, his face relighting with determination, now wasn't the time to worry about that. All that mattered was the here and now, and right now he had to do his duty. And properly, this time. Deciding to follow the white and blue warrior's advice, he shot out an anchor and flew up to a nearby house; beginning his search for those who had yet to leave or were unable to.

He could only pray that his fellow soldiers didn't close the gate before that, that they didn't let their fear take control of them and make them act irrationally, otherwise he and many other lives would be trapped with the Titans.

Them, and with whatever else was lurking in his home.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took all of Eren's willpower not to make jittering sounds as he and his sister were carried over the roof of a house. Needless to say, the jump form before had startled him. But then again, after everything he had seen these brothers do, it was hardly that shocking. He gritted his teeth when they were quickly approaching the end of the roof, but was astounded when they literally sailed over the space between the house they were one and the one before them. Glancing behind him, he saw that the red brother had no trouble keeping up with them; he was a mere few steps behind them.

The boy's eyes widened when he saw a Titan two houses, and he felt fear flutter in his chest like butterflies when he realised that the warrior was not slowing down at all; nor changing course. When they jumped over to the next house, the fear over took Eren and his hands grabbed the metal arm around him as he tried fruitlessly to get the warrior's attention. "H-hey!" he called out, figuring that words would reach farther than physical actions, "there's-"

"I know" was the calm, yet undeterred reply. Only Mikasa could pick up the slight undertone of anger in the being distorted voice.

The Titan in question was in a crouch position, a mop of brown hair atop of its head with vacant eyes, its head bobbing slightly. In its hands were a body, blood leaking down onto its fingers. The whole upper part of the body was gone, chewed away.

Anger blossomed in Eren's chest at the sight and it begun to etch it way onto his face in the form of a snarl, drowning out the revulsion one was meant to feel when they saw a person being eating, but he couldn't utter a single word when the blue and white being that was carrying him and his sister snarled lowly "lousy inhuman bastard!" the words were seething with potent venom, and had a undertone of raw hatred.

The Titan hardly noticed them as the warrior jumped from the house they were on to the next one, too wrapped up in its meal and too empty minded to care. It did, though, shout out in pain when the younger brother kicked it on the back of the head. The young Yeager didn't know if it was by some kind of force or was the mere strength of the younger brother, but the kick sent the Titan face first into the house they were just on. Fragments of wood and rock exploded behind them but, as Eren quickly looked back to see, the red brother and his mother were unharmed by it as they touched down on the roof.

Finally, after running over various houses and mainly avoiding the Titans, they reached a house that was a block away from the gate. The young Yeager and Ackerman noticed that their carrier's soul piercing gaze was staring up at the top of the wall; seemingly contemplating what action they should take next. Both children knew that the brothers couldn't waltz right up to the guards and hand them and their mother over just like that, their looks alone would cause panic and they would be attacked immediately.

Then, after silence briefly settled, Yang's brother questioned the two in his arms "not afraid of heights, are you?" It was a very odd question that was completely out of context, not fit to be asked in their current situation. But regardless, both kids shook their head; confusion clearly readable on their faces.

Nodding, the sapphire warrior slowly shifted into a squat and, before either child could ponder on the act, he jumped. Eren cried out in surprise when they didn't just jump, they flew.

They were soaring upwards, the air roaring in his ears, heading towards the top of the wall without any sign of slowing down.

Both children's grip on the being's arm became tighter as they closed their eyes, both unable to keep them open due to the great wind that was blowing in their faces, both greatly taken aback by this new ability. In their world, asides from the 3DMG, flight is a scientific impossibility. Something that many considered only for the birds, the only creatures on record that could fly, while others believe that humans forgot how to fly due to years of being subjugated by the Titans. Eren agreed with the latter, hands down, mainly due to the fact that he thought that the idea of people flying was greatly appealing.

He had been told by Hannes that using the Vertical Manueuvring Equipment was like flying.

Then, as quickly as it had started, the roaring stopped. When Eren opened his eyes, he could only gasp at the sight before him. Before him laid lush green forest covered hills that stretched as far as the eyes could see, with Wall Rose being just a white blur in the distance. Looking so small and insignificant compared to its sister wall, which Eren quickly realised was what the brothers were standing on. A windmill rested near the foot of the wall, with a view small houses near that; which Eren assumed was were the mill's operator's lived.

Looking back at him home town, as he realised it might be the last time he ever did, Eren could only look on with silent horror. His home was now a burning, bloodied corpse of its usual peaceful self. Smoke climbed up the skies from the remains of crushed houses that had caught alight after their fire places had contact with the wood of the structure. Both sides of the wall were polar opposites, one the image of serenity and the other the picture of chaos, Eren realised.

Like the brothers.

The young Yeager had easily noticed their obvious parallels; one was blue and white while the over was red and black. One had a controlled attitude and another, from what Eren had seen earlier, had a more prone to violent attitude. The latter had a strong passion much like himself, if not he had a much easier fuse.

"Beautiful" Eren's thoughts were interrupted when his mother's saviour whispered that word; looking up he saw that said warrior was looking at the landscape before them. The trees swayed gracefully in the wind, untouched by man and his foolish tampering with nature. The lake gleamed with a pinkish light, reflecting the early evening sky. Taking in the sight before him, Eren allowed a small smile to settle upon his young face; one that was silently mirrored by his sister. They agreed, what laid before them was beautiful.

"Yin" when the blue and white warrior looked towards his brother, the children in his arms immediately realised that was his name. Yin and Yang. Again, Eren couldn't help but noticed the contrasting theme that seemed to define the pair. One placid and one zealous. One blue and one red. One white and one black. They were different, yet worked and connected like brothers. They were two sides of the same coin. One object. One person. "Those must be the evacuation boats the soldier was talking about" Yang pointed downwards, at the small river below them that had two boats resting in them.

Two very, crowded boats; that is.

"Two boats for an entire town?" Yin questioned, sounding quite perplexed. "That's hardly enough for all those people."

"Looks like they're full anyway" Yang pointed out with offhandedness, inclining his head to the large crowd of people who were being held back by the soldiers. The civilians were pushing forward like a tidal wave, their movements making a ripple like effect as they tried to achieve salvation, every last one of them desperate to escape a death at the hands of a Titan. "Idiot humans, they can't do anything right. These fool hadn't planned ahead at all" the red and black Guyver uttered contemptuously.

"At least they tried, brother" the blue and white Guyver said softly, not truly wanting to delve into this particular subject. They had bigger priorities than to discuss his brother's lack of faith in humanity. "How's the woman doing?" he inquired before his brother could formulate a respond.

His attention quickly diverted to the female in his arms, the black muscled warrior took in her appearance and condition. Her face was noticeably paler than before, her brown hair sticking to her sweating brow. Her breathing came out quick, shakily. The warrior quickly came to a conclusion, "she's alive, but she's gradually getting weaker. We can't put this off much longer, bro, she needs medical treatment."

"Fine" Yin nodded, quickly planning their next course of action. Nodding once again, this time towards the boats, he proclaimed "let's get these lots to safety then."

The warrior carrying the children then took a step forward—and walked off the wall. Not even the usual impassive Mikasa could stop a yelp of surprise as they seemed to drop about two feet down before stopping roughly. The metal orb on the Guyver's hip was glowing sky blue. Eren was, for perhaps the third or fourth time that day, awestruck at that moment. They weren't flying, they were floating. In mid-air, the ground a good 60 meters below them. Looking to his right, the boy saw his mother and her carrier floating as well; though his own hip orb was blocked from view by his mother.

When Eren's eyes drifted to her bloodied skirt and cut legs; fear begun to reignite in him. It was a natural response that he couldn't stop, though he tried to drown it out with reassurance. The words from Yin before were that reassurance. He wasn't sure how the blue and white warrior would heal his mother, but he was certain he would find out soon and that it would be by no human means.

The Guyvers then glided downwards gently, being mindful of the humans in their arms, slowly descending towards the boats. They were quickly noticed long before they reached the boats and Eren and his sister watched with fascination as the panic died down almost immediately; all eyes to and turning towards them.

Silence was all that remained in an evening that was riddled with panicked and desperate shouting.

"Eren!" the young Yeager's heart leaped at the sound, recognising the voice instantly. His eyes flying, he scanned the sea of faces until he saw the owner of the voice. Joy flooded Eren when his green eyes locked with the wide blue ones of his best friend on the boat to their right.

"Armin!" Eren's face cracked a large, relieved smile.

"Friend of yours?" Yin questioned, already guessing the answer. At the boy's confirming nod, whom's smile had not faltered, the sapphire blue Guyver turned his head to his brother and jerked his head to the right, "this way."

They glided over, floating downwards to the boy that Eren claimed to be his friend. For some reason, Yin found it surprising that the boy had a friend. Though, he guessed that this was due to his opinion on the boy; with his rough attitude and whatnot. When Yin reached the boat's side, the humans gave him a wide berth; fear and downright terrified expression watching his every move. He ignored them, utterly unsurprised by their ways. He knew he looked frightening, it was an important thing he wanted to inspire to those around him; especially those who could be his enemies.

The second his feet touched the wooden floor, Eren quickly jumped from his arms and ran to Armin; surprising the latter by wrapping him in a hug. Though taken aback by the unusual show of affection, the blonde boy figured that their current situation was something that not even the gruff Eren Yeager could stand, Armin returned the gesture; more than happy to see that his friend was alright.

Underneath his armour, after he had put down Mikasa (whom quickly went to their side), Yin smiled. It was rare for friends to meet up after such horrific events, for people to find ones they cared about unharmed. The children were lucky, three childhood friends who had made it through this nightmare together, he slightly envied them for that.

The sound of metal hitting wood made the blue and white Guyver turn, causing him to meet the crimson eyes of his brother—and the sick face of Carla Yeager. Whispers exploded around them when the other civilians took notice of the woman; and the Guyver's enhanced senses picked up each and every one of them.

"Hey, is that Carla Yeager?!"

"Wife of the famous Doctor Yeager?"

"My God, look at her legs!"

"Did they do that to her?"

"They must have!"

"Just what the hell are they?!"

"Who cares, we need to stop them!"

"WAIT!" Before Yin or Yang could act, Eren quickly shouted out to the people around him. Silence fell and questioning expressions grew, though the fear look in the eyes of many didn't falter, and Eren took it as his moment to declare with absolute "these two saved me, my sister and mother from a Titan. They're not our enemies! They're not even Titans!"

The men and women around them were stunned silent by the little boy's words, all surprised that he was defending these two strange creatures. It didn't last long, however, as a man called out "then what are they then?!"

Eren was about to respond—until he realised that he had nothing. He didn't know what these warriors where himself, but he couldn't just stand by and let the town's people attack them out of blind fear. Beads of sweat rolled down his brow as many eyes around him glared into him, demanding an explanation, eyeing the boy like vultures pray on pieces of meat.

"You don't need to know" all eyes snapped to Yang, who looked impassively to the crowed behind Eren. Said boy noticed that most of the civilians looked traumatised, if not downright horrified, that the being spoke. "All you need to know is that we're here to help, nothing more nothing less" he claimed with finality, his voice beckoning now argument.

Most of the people calmed down somewhat, the various faces falling into what could be classified as solemn expressions. Some eyes shined with distrust, others seemed afraid and appeared to be introspecting; mulling over what actions to take.

Without a care in the world, the black muscled and red armoured Guyver walked forward and gently placed the woman in his arms against the wall before him. Before he moved away completely, many saw him gently move some of her unstrapped bangs out of her face and behind her ear. Once he stepped back, his brother moved forward and kneeled before her legs; taking in the damage. As he had thought, he legs were nearly useless; broken in so many places that they were just bags of torn muscles and broken carbon. Blood leaked out of the woods at a steady pace, her system unable to heal the major wounds, painting the beige floor crimson. Yin smiled underneath his armour, a confident one at that, this was nothing.

A piece of cake.

Placing both palms together as though he was praying for five seconds, he then pointed them at Carla's legs and white energy flowed from them. Soon, Mrs Yeager body was covered in an aura of white; gleaming like a star. Everyone was silent was they watched the scene unfold before them; wonderment written on each face from the youngest child to the wrinkled face elderly. Eren and Mikasa noticed with unrivalled surprise as their mother's injuries begun to heal at an unnaturally fast pace; the bones audibly moving back into place and reconnecting. Then, after two tense minutes, Carla's body lost its aura and Yin sighed as he fell back onto his arse; both hands on each side of his inhuman head.

Eren moved with hesitance, walking over to the white muscled warrior. He idly noticed people murmuring around him, and that Yang had watched the whole thing with his arms crossed, but he ignored them entirely. His heart was screaming, pounding in his ribcage as it begged to whatever God that his mother was alright, hoping beyond hope. Finally, he stood a foot away from his saviour, and reached out to place a hand on his shoulder; the metal warm against his sweaty palm.

Before he could even formulate a question, Yin spoke in a metallic voice that was drained of strength "that took a lot out of me...but it was totally worth the energy." Removing his hands and turned his crimson gaze to the worried green eyes of the boy, the blue and white warrior stated benevolently "she's fine now, just let her rest for a bit."

It was all Eren needed to hear, as he launched himself at him unconscious mother; burying his face into her shoulder to the point it almost looked painful. His body shook, and the Guyvers realised that Eren was sobbing in unbounded relief. Mikasa went to his side slowly, her eyes filled with tears as well. Dropping to her knees, she too wrapped her arms around her adopted mother and sobbed.

Once again, whispers exploded around them; and Yin listened to see what the humans thought of them this time.

"Look at that!"

"She's completely healed..."

"They did that, but how?"

"They must be some kind of angels, sent by God himself!"

"They really are helping us..."

"What incredible power..." This was spoken by the boy, Armin as Yin recalled.

When his brother's hand came to rest upon his shoulder, Yin looked up at the impassive face of the Guyver. To humans, it was a face that held no human resemblance or emotions. No mercy, no compassion, no anything. However, Yin could look past the armour and knew that his brother was smiling down at him. He was certain of it. Nodding his head in silent words, he held out a hand and his brother took it in a strong grip. Pulled to his feet, the blue and white warrior studied the faces around him. Almost every one of the civilians was looking at them as though they were some kind of deities, each face alight with hope and elation.

The warriors didn't realise it, but at that moment—they had inspired many, and induced more hope than the Survey Corps ever could.

Turning his head back to the top of the wall, were the smoke could be seen rising into the sky, Yin then proclaimed to his brother "let's go, we've got work to do."

Yang nodded in agreement, grinning widely under his armour. He was more than ready to kill some more of those dopey face freaks. Walking forward, Yang just made it to the edge of the boat before they were stopped by a voice. "W-wait!" Turning, the Bio-Boosted warriors saw Eren standing behind them; with what looked like a face of desperation. "Before you go, tell me: Who, what, are you?" Eren wanted to know, more than anything. He had heard their words and had presumed that they were going to fight the remaining Titans, he was certain of it. But, in the off chance that he might not see them again once they left, he at least wanted to know the names of his saviors. Even though he heard their names before, he wanted to be certain that those were their names; and something they said in their own language.

Yin and Yang looked at each other, both surprised by the question. However, both then grinned under their armour and nodding in a silent agreement. Turning to Eren, Yin placed his right arm behind his back whilst Yang mirrored the action with his left arm. The blue and white Guyver then moved his flat left palm forward and his brother mirrored the action with his right. When they saw Eren's eyes widen and dart between their hands that they knew he had seen the symbols on them. Then they begun, something that Eren would never forget:

"I am the water" Yin stated; his voice even and strong.

"I am the fire" Yang proclaimed in an identical voice.

"I am the ice."

"I am the lava."

"I am the calm."

"I am the enraged."

"I am the control."

"I am the uncontrolled."

"I am the peace."

"I am the wraith."

"I am the cleanser."

"I am the eradicator."

"I am the warrior with a pure heart, awakened by fury."

"I am the warrior with unbounded rage."

"I am the light."

"I am the darkness."

"I...am Yin, the White Guyver." The blue and white warrior announced calmly with a steely undertone.

"I...am Yang, the Black Guyver." The red and black warrior proclaimed powerfully, holding no punches.

The palms closed and pointed at the wide eyed boy, as both roared magnanimously in perfect unison "WE ARE THE YIN YANG BROTHERS!"

Throwing out their unused palms to their sides, to the wide eyes of the people around them, both warriors continued bellowing in their metallic voices "WE ARE THE PROTECTORS OF THE INNOCENT AND THE ERADICATORS OF ALL WE DEEM EVIL! ALL WHO STAND IN OUR WAY WILL BE PURGED WITH FIRE AND BAPTISED IN WATER! WE WILL SLAUGHTER ALL WHO HARM THOSE WE PROTECT!"

Turning back to Eren, the brothers finished powerfully with: "WE WILL SPILL GALLONS OF TITAN BLOOD FOR EVERY DROP OF HUMAN BLOOD THAT HAS BEEN SHED THIS DAY! THE STREETS WILL RUN RED WITH THEIR BLOOD, AND THE TITANS WILL KNOW WHO THE NEW APEX PREDATORS ARE! THAT IS THE PROMISE OF THE YIN YANG BROTHERS!"

Without wasting a single moment, both brother backflipped off the ship. In the air, their bodies were enveloped in blue and red light; light so bright that most of the civilians had to cover their eyes. Then, two earth shattering crashes filled the air, and once the light faded everyone saw why—

The once 6ft warriors had changed size, they had grown to height of a 15 meter class Titan! Cries of surprise, disbelief and fear filled the air; and the soldiers at the Guyvers feet wonder just what the hell they were supposed to so.

"No way!" Eren ran forward and gripped the edge of the ship as though was about to fall off it, his eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his skull.

"Incredible..." Mikasa murmured, amazed.

"Impossible!" Armin cried, unable to believe what stood right in front of his eyes, "they're the same height of a Titan...how is that even possible?!" This defied everything Armin had learned from his Grandfather; never had he told him about creature that could fly without wings or change their height. These two called themselves 'Guyvers', but just what was a Guyver?

Red eyes glowing like the sun, both now giant Guyver spoke for the last time in unison "it's our time to fight."

Everything became deathly still, all eyes on the metal giants. Looking down at the soldiers by his feet, some of whom had drawn those small sword-like blades, Yin commanded as he pointed down at them "get these people to safety, by any means necessary."

A second later, Yang added in a threatening tone "or you'll deal with us."

His brother held back a sigh; those last words were both unneeded and not helpful at all. It probably just made them seem all the more dangerous. But knowing that there was time to rectify those little errors later, the blue and white warrior kicked off of the ground gently and hovered upwards, towards the top of the wall. Yang followed after immediately.

They could fell thousands of eyes on them as they flew, though didn't pay them any mind; they were two beings of colour that weren't supposed to be during that time and moment. They were out of place in this world, in so many ways.

Needless to say, the soldiers on the other side of the wall were scared shitless when two giants beings landed before them; just a couple of meters away. Dust was blown upwards in a cloud and the soldiers felt the air cover them like a tidal wave; nearly blowing them off their feet and through the gate behind them. When the dust cleared, just about all of them gawked at the metal creatures before them. Immediately, all their minds made one single conclusion: the creatures before them were Titans. That was the only thing they could think of, the sad side of human nature. Fear overrules everything and forces people to act and think without thought.

However all plans they were building in their heads came to a crashing halt, as the blue and white Titan turned it's waist to face them and spoke "you men get onto the other side of the wall, now, your comrades need you."

Silence stood for a solid thirty seconds, before one of the soldiers shouted back "what did you say?!" Outrage was evident in his voice; obviously he wasn't too keen of taking orders from the giants. None of them were. Knowing this, Yang tried a different approach.

"You heard my brother, you little shits." The red and black Guyver turned to the soldiers, pointing his left index finger at them. Red power collected at the tip of it, making the humans set back in fear. Yang relished every second of their cowardliness. "Get the hell outta here, and let the real warriors show you how it's done."

Without question, the men turned on their heels and ran; back into the wall's interior and to their fellow soldiers.

Chucking, Yang turned to face his brother—only to see that said person had his arms crossed. He couldn't see it, but he was sure that Yin was making a face of disapproval. Or downright annoyance.

"Why do you always insist on threatening people to do as we say?" Yin questioned with thinly veiled irk, his tone showing that he didn't really require an answer, "you are aware that it only makes us look like a threat; correct?"

"And haven't I already told you that I don't give a fuck?" Yang shot back, miffed, "neither of us should care what they think, if they see us as good or bad, it only matters if we get out of this together. Like I tend to remind you, little brother, we only have each other."

"Don't forget our friends" the blue and white Guyver muttered softly, looking away with a tired sigh. This argument was pointless, he knew, but he couldn't stop himself from calling out his brother on his attitude. It was going to make them look bad, and the people of this new world need to know that they were on their side; not the other way around. Trust was vital, if they were going to make it in this strange new world.

"We don't have any friends, not anymore" his red and black brother reminded him, his voice taking a hard; colder edge. Thanks to the war, all the people they ever considered friends were dead. They were alone in both worlds, with the only person left for them being their little sister and each other. But, despite her and their own existence, they still longed for the compassion of others.

STOMP! Their head snapping in the direction of the sound, the sudden tension between the warriors left as they gazed at their new opponent. Coming to a standstill out of the right lane of the Y junction at the end of the road was a Titan, with a height of 15 meters.

However, its body showed that it was far more than just another Titan.

The monstrosity was covered in golden armour from head to toe, with a mat of silver hair topping the crown of its head. Its muscles could be seen in various places; the most pronounce being the back of the knees, the elbows, top of the thighs, brief spaces around the shoulder blades and abdomen and chest. Finally, its eyes were white, glowing like stars in the midnight; void of all human emotion.

Yang reeled back at the sight of it, greatly taken aback, "what the-?!" He briefly choked on his words, before blurting out "what the actual hell is that?!"

"Some kind of...armoured Titan" when Yin spoke next, he sounded quite uneasy. "Am I the only one who notices it's uncanny resemblance to us?"

Yang turned to his brother, shocked and almost appalled by his words. Turing back to the new Titan, understanding slowly dawned upon him, "he...it looks like a human version of a Guyver Unit" he uttered, feeling the same kind of nausea rise in his chest.

The 'Armoured Titan', for its part, just looked form one Guyver to the other. It then looked to the ground, seeming to contemplate what action to take next. It was, undeniably, shocked to see the warriors. Then, it leaned forward and shot off the ball of its left foot. It charged forward, it's eyes unblinking, each step making the ground beneath it shudder.

Feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline flow through his veins as his opponent made its way towards him, Yang smiled a feral grin under his armour and announced. "Whatever it is, Imma kill it!"

Without any hesitation, and before Yin could say otherwise, Yang rushed forward himself; drunk on the thrill to fight. A flaw that both brothers shared. Turning his fingers into talons when they were but thirty feet apart, Yang pulled back his claws with the intent of stabbing them into his enemy's flesh; confident that his armour would surpass that of the Titan's own protection. However, he did not anticipate that the metal coated Titan would suddenly increase its speed and lower it body a bit; ramming the crown of it's head into Yang's solar plexus (which knocked the wind out of him) and grasping his waist to hold him in place without slowing down at all.

Yin quickly realised two facts about this new Titan:

1: It was intelligent.

And 2: It was planning to use his brother like a shield; with the obvious attempt to smashing through the wall!

However, his brother's body prevented him from using any kind of attack to stop the monster and thus the blue and white Guyver was left with only one option: using his own strength. Spreading his legs and arms, Yin tensed his muscles and made the armour of his arms and legs swell. "Oooooh..." he groaned in overdramatic despair, the Armoured Titan mere seconds from colliding with him, as he knew that he was about to feel a lot of pain. "SHIIIIIIIIIIT!"

Steam gushing from its armoured encased mouth, the powerful Titan rammed into Yin (whose efforts proved to be in vain) and the three of them smashed through Wall Maria. The blue and white Guyver was crushed by his brother and the Titan as he fell onto his back and took them with him. The monster improvised, controlling the momentum that its body followed as it rolled onto its back and released its grip on the red and black Guyver's waist. It then quickly grabbed the warrior's ankles and, once the beast was on its partly armoured feet, slammed the Guyver onto the ground; kicking up a cloud of dust and making Yang cry out in pain. Its armoured jaw opening, revealing a row of teeth to the world, steam hissed out of its mouth.

The Titan then got to its feet and turned to face the boats which, despite Yin and Yang's orders, had yet to move. The sounds of panicked screams and cries of despair filled its ears, and it felt nothing. No shame, no guilt, no remorse, no anything.

These people may see it as a monster now, but it knew differently. One day, it knew, they would thank it for its actions.

The partly metal Titan then felt vibrations in the ground, drawing its attention away from the humans. New Titans, already? They must have been hungrier than it thought. Turning it armoured head to see, it found out that it couldn't have been more wrong—

DONG! A loud, metallic sound filled everyone's ears when Guyver Yin's fist made contact with the Armoured Titan's cheek. The Titan was shocked by the power behind the fist, as its head actually jerked to the side by the attack. Dazed, the monstrosity had no chance to defend itself when the blue and white warrior lunged and shot both of them onto the ground; kicking up dust and dirt.

CLANG! "Freak!" quickly getting to his feet once the weight on him left, the Armoured Titan received an uppercut to the lower jaw that made its head snap up; making another noise filled the ears of the humans. Angered at feeling pain twice from the unusual being and hearing him mocking it, the Titan shot a right hook at the creature's head. "Weak!" The Guyver slapped it away, ducked and slammed his left fist into the Titan's abdomen. It felt that, too.

It anger growing, the partly metal Titan tried to elbow Yin with the limb that had been slapped away but said warrior stepped out of the strike's reach. "Slow!" His right fist flying, its journey ended with it smashing into the Titan's cheek. The evening night was now filled with the sound of metal hitting metal, and metal grinding against dirt.

A loud, raged filled cry filled the air, and all eyes went to Guyver Yang; who had jumped in the air with his left foot aimed for the Titan's head. Sadly, the blow missed as the Armoured Titan stepped out of the way. Yang hardly slowed down, as he quickly manipulated gravity and made his straight foot touch the ground gently. Turning and kicking off his leg, the red and black Guyver's palms slapped into the outstretched Titan's ones; fingers interlocked. Underneath Yang's armour, he gritted his teeth. This creature was strong, really strong. The Guyver could feel the soles of his metal coated feet dig trenches into the ground as he tried to push against the being before him, his opponent doing the same thing parallel to him, and he was certain that electricity was sparking over his feet as he forced energy into them to stay upright.

"Yang!" glancing to his right under his unblinking red eyes, said Guyver saw his brother standing a few meters behind the Titan; fists tight and body tense. "Put up your protection!" he pointed to his forehead, where his Control Metal was. Or would have been, as it was cover by a small, sapphire blue metal cover. Yang nodded and looked back at the Titan's impassive face, despite his own equally impassive face, the Guyver was smirking tauntingly.

SHINK! A small, blood red slide of metal covered the Guyver's Control Metal; completely concealing it from view. Although it didn't look like much to the Armoured Titan, that piece of metal was ten times stronger than the rest of the Guyver's metal body; making chances of the Control Metal getting damage down to nonexistence.

PANG! The Titan was lost as to what the action signified, but quickly understood when Yang reared back his head and slammed his forehead into its; sending it back a few steps. A sound akin to bells dinging ringed out across the land, and the Armoured Titan was sure that its forehead cracked.

Its metal laced hands went up as it turned away from its opponent, cradling its throbbing head; fingers raking through its silver hair. What sounded like a pain filled groan left the creature's armoured lips.

However, the Guyvers showed no mercy to their foes.

CLANG! "Junkyard crap!" raising his right leg high and then swinging it down like an executioner's axe, Yin hammer kicked the Armoured Titan with his ankle crashing into the back of the monster's metal skill. The force made the Titan bend at the waist, though it did not completely fall to the ground; much to the brothers' displeasure.

Something broke within the Armoured Titan.

CRASH! Yin was sent flying into the windmill when the Titan shoved his foot off of its head in a burst of rage. Stone, dust and pieces of wood was sent flying into the air, and the rest of the mill fell down upon the Guyver. When the dust settled, only the warrior's forearms and feet to knees were visible from the rubble.

"Yin!" Yang cried in worry, but before he could make his way to his down brother he was blocked by the Titan. The Guyver gasped when he saw the damaged the monster had taken. The Armoured Titan's forehead was cracked, metallic fragments falling off it and shining in the evening sky like raindrops. Blood leaked down the length of its face and damped its silver hair, making the red and black Guyver realise that its head wasn't fully protected.

However, in that way that was disturbingly similar to the Guyver; its face was void of all emotion. Including pain.

Raising its arms, fist clenched and eyes unblinking, the Titan moved into a human fighting stance and waited for its opponent's response.

The sight implored something into Yang mind: this Titan was more than just intelligent. There was no way it could just know a fighting stance off the top of its head like that, there had to be more to it. Was it controlled by something, or someone? Or was it really more like a Guyver in more than appearance?

Was there—was there something (or someone) inside this creature, controlling it like a puppet master tugging the strings of a puppet? Using the body like he did the Guyver?

Yang shook his head, clearing his mind of those unneeded and disturbing thoughts. Now weren't the time to be thinking of such things, he'd leave that to later and his little brother. Turning his head to his right, the Guyver saw that the boats had finally started moving; gently following the flow of the river. He easily picked out Eren among the masses of faces; said boy's face was alight with concern as he gazed at his savoir. Most likely due to what had happened to Yin. The red and black Guyver nodded his armoured head, the action seen by all of the humans but Eren's eyes widened when he understood that the gesture was made primarily at him.

It was Yang's way of doing a wordless farewell.

He hoped the kid would be alright, that he would grow up strong, after everything he had seen. The Guyver wished he could have trained him, as he knew in his heart, that Eren Yeager would have made a remarkable warrior.

The ground shook, making the Guyver quickly turn to see the reason. Fist soaring, Yang barley had anytime to block the attack with his right wrist; the compressed air popping in the way of a booming shockwave. Acting purely on reflexes; Yang reared back his open left palm and slammed it into the Titan's armoured plated chest. Another shockwave exploded outwards, shocking the world around the giants and making the earth tremble, and the Armoured Titan dug its heels into the ground as it tried to halt its skidding. When it did finally stop a good few meters away from Yin, who remained burned in rubble, liquid that appeared to be spittle leaked out of its armoured lips.

Yang ran forward, screaming a battle cry like the warrior he was. The Titan did too, though was as impassive as it always seemed to be. The Titan striked first, with its left fist flying but, much like earlier; was stopped by Yang's right wrist. The Guyver's own left fist soared for the metal coated Titan's cheek, but it missed as the monster rear back its upper body; avoiding the blow completely. As much as he hated to do so, Yang had to give credit where credit was due. This bastard was well trained.

Dodging and blocking the Titan's two next strikes, Yang tried a black energy blast from his right hand to the Armoured Titan's face but the creature dodged it with surprising reflex; surprising the red and black warrior. There were very few who could dodge his attacks so well. His surprise cost him, as he received a left hook to the face; issuing a sickening sound akin to crunching bones.

Time slowed down when the Titan's fist begun to retract, as Yang's feeling begun to boil into an inferno. He was livid, no—he was FURIOUS! He felt that, a little too much he mentally added a nanosecond later. And to be harmed by such a loathsome creature was damaging to his warrior pride, and his pride was something he valued greatly.

One objective rested in the Guyver's mind, ruling over all other thoughts: the Titan had to die. Die a horrible, painful death.

"That..." rearing back his right fist and making the muscles bulge with power, the fist slammed into the Armoured Titan's face with devastating force and a deafening sound that echoed over the forest, "HURT!"

Glee filled Yang's heart when he saw metal fragments fly outwards and around his fist.

Acting fast and not allowing his opponent to get its wits, Yang stepped back and shot his left leg out in a front kick. The blow sent the damaged Armoured Titan flying, and sent more fragments into the air like snowflakes, skidding across the ground until it came to a halt. Both unwilling and unable to stop, the Bio-Boosted warrior shot himself up into the air and soared downwards to his fallen pray. His legs bent with his knees forward, he prayed that this would be enough to crush the creature's skull.

However, the Armoured Titan had decided that enough was enough. It had fulfilled its mission, as had its partner, and had no real reason for drawing its stay out any longer than it already had. The fight had been fun, it had tested its limitations and had found that there was something in this bleak world stronger than it was; far stronger at that. Rather than being angered or afraid by this revelation; it was actually thrilled. With this fact in mind, the master of the metal puppet could return home and train. Train to become stronger, to become a greater warrior, and to break the limits that were holding it back. If it and these warriors were to ever meet again, which part of it did and another part didn't, then it would make sure that it was the winner of the battle.

That was an exciting thought, a very exciting thought; he would look forward to it. To that day.

Yang gasped when the Titan literality exploded into a cloud of scalding steam, his armour unharmed yet his muscles burned by the surprise attack. However, both unable and unwilling to stop himself, he ignored the pain and continued his decent until his knees landed hard—onto the ground. Under his armour, the Guyver could only gape in utter shock. "What the...?!" quickly getting to his feet and forcing ki through his body to dispel the fog that had ensnared him, Yang saw that his pray had disappeared without a trace.

"Where the fuck did he go?!" he murmured angrily, feeling cheated. He didn't hear any footsteps, nor did he detect any energy signature that would imply teleportation; so how on earth did the monster escape?!

Yang heard stomping behind him, taking his attention away from the mystery before him, and turned expecting to see a Titan—

SPLURCH! Only to be met with an explosion of blood; crimson liquid raining down upon him in a morbid mockery of a baptism. If other were there, it would have looked like the Guyver was melting on the spot. Turning around, and causing the blood to fly off him before it begun to disintegrate, Yang saw none other than his blue and white little brother; his right palm outstretched and smoking from the energy blast he had fired just moments before. "Yin!" quickly making it to his side, the older sibling clasped a hand onto his brother's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. The Guyver's system reacted immediately, forcing the metal to harden and push against the force of its twin unit's fingers. "You okay, little bro?"

"I'm fine, brother" Yin nodded, composure at full power. "The Armoured Titan," the Guyver quickly moved onto business, "it's gone, yes?"

"Yeah, the fucker escaped!" Yang's anger quickly caught alight once more as he hissed out those words, he then turned back to the crater that his knees had made from his failed attack. "I don't know how, it's shouldn't have been possible. I didn't sense any energy, nor did my senses pick up any sounds so...I can't say how it got away."

Yin was quiet, thoughtful, thinking over what little information he had to go on. Could it be possible that the Titan had escaped via turning into steam? It would certainly explain how the skinless one left so quickly. Sighing mentally; the blue and white warrior found his thought crash to a halt. He didn't know what to think on the subject; what with so little information he currently had. One thing was for certain though, Yin now knew with absolute: this world was definitely strange.

It made his own look normal!

The ominous sound of mindless groaning brought the Guyver back to reality, and he turned to see a horde of Titans marching towards him and his brother. Jaws salivating and hands clenching and unclenching; it was obvious that the monsters were ready to fight for their pray.

The familiar, burning feeling of excitement grew in Yang's chest as he looked towards his upcoming victims; his own hands clenching and unclenching with anticipation. Without looking back, he asked his faithful long-time companion "ready, little bro?"

The sound of flesh stretching and bursting filled the red and black Guyver's ears and, when he turned to face his brother, Yin had long blades sprouting from the top of each wrist. They resembled the blade of a European Longsword; and their sharp tips were a mere fifthteen feet from the ground. As the blades glowed bright blue and his fist clenching tightly, the sapphire blue and white Guyver responded in his ever calm and controlled voice "as always, brother."

His hands talons and glowing bright crimson; Yang tensed his muscles and his body was covered in a red aura of power. His brother copied the action; with his own aura being blue.

The Yin-Yang Brothers then shot off the ground and towards the group of Titan; their battle cries merging into one great scream and echoing off for all those in a four mile radius to hear. It would be their tribute, the show that they were keeping their promise and were ready to slaughter anything that came in their path. The night, as they both knew, would be filled with blood and corpses and it honestly sadden them.

They had just left one war; only to end up in another.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The feeling in Eren Yeager's chest was something he had felt many times before but, on this day, it was greater than ever before. It was a feeling that was greater than anger, and deeper than fury. It was hatred, self hatred. At that moment, the young boy hated himself. More than the bullies that tormented him, and even more than the Titans. Eren Yeager hated and despised his own life.

"Pathetic, I'm absolutely pathetic..." Eren had thought venomously to himself; cursing his own existence.

Shortly after the ships started moving, his mother had awoken as smoothly as a person would from sleep; as though she couldn't remember that the wall had been breached. Eren was at her side immediately, hugging her to the point where she'd have buries. Mikasa was also, but embraced her mother more lightly. After many apologies and proclamations of love, Eren brought his mother up to speed with the current reality; which now stood on the knife edge of being bad and good. At first, Carla disbelieved her son's story but quickly realised it was the truth when she felt her legs move without trouble.

Now Eren stood at the edge of the boat, resting his arms on the edge as he looked out towards the lush forest that laid before him; the greenness of it matching his own emerald eyes. Behind him, his mother was speaking with Armin's grandfather and the people she was familiar with; those who had made it out of Shinganshina. Mikasa stood by her mother, as did Armin by his grandfather; though both did give Eren's back the quick glance every now and again.

Currently, the boy's thought rested not on the Titans or how his life was going to be now that his home had been compromised; but on the brothers that had saved his life. "Yin and Yang" the words were so alien to the boy, so foreign, yet he found himself repeating their names like a pray.

A frown tugged at the boy's lips as a pit grew in his stomach, making him feel sick. He knew this feeling, it was the same feeling he felt whenever Armin was hurt or upset after an encounter with their bullies (whom he had yet to see, they were properly somewhere else on the boat or dead): he was worried for the brothers' lives. They were alone, fighting an unknown number of Titans by themselves. While the boy had faith in them, they had easily won it after what they had done for him, he still feared about their outcome; hoping that they would make it out alive and well. But, at the same time, Eren felt immense; seething rage boil within him. It was not rage brought from malice against the brothers, nor was it to do with anyone else; it was him.

Eren forced his rage to burn into his heart like a thousand arrow heads; as he knew he deserved every second of it.

The Guyvers had risked their lives to save him and his family; and did so selflessly and without wanting anything in return. It was an act that Eren found admirable, it was the first time he had seen anyone do something so great for another rather than themselves. But, it was not until the brothers had claimed that they were going to defeat last Titans that the boy begun to feel this rage; it was the rage at being helpless. Though they hadn't said it, Eren knew he and the rest of the townsfolk were a burden to the brothers and he hated himself and them for it.

"Is that really how weak we've become as a species?" Eren wondered mentally, scowling with disgust; "is this how weak I've become?"

The young Yeager couldn't stand it. For as long as he could remember, he had always held a strong moral code. Those who prey on the weak, and those who deny others' their freedom, must be taken down with extreme prejudice. However, being able to do nothing about it made the boy sick. As he evaluated the experience with his mother and Hannes with a more refined state of mind, he quickly understood why those events had transpired the way they did: it was because of fear.

Fear of losing her children made Carla force Hannes into leaving her behind, and fear of death had made said soldier run for his life out of pure terror. And Eren was just in the middle of it all, unable to do anything.

Why?

"Because I'm just a kid..." more fat was added to their fire that burned within Eren's chest, his breathing beginning to deepen, "Because I wasn't strong enough...!"

Something dark, and near primal, stirred within Eren's mind. Something was breaking slowly, was it his heart? His sanity? Or was not the end of something old, but rather the birth of something new?

The rage of being helpless had sparked something within the boy, and the knowledge of being unable to do anything made it grow like wood on a flame, a new feeling had been born. It was more than a feeling, the boy quickly realised: it was a new sense of purpose. A growing urge to prove himself, to all others, to them.

Eren had awoken his new purpose in life, and suddenly the idea of freedom wasn't enough to satisfy the boy anymore.

"I'm not weak..." suddenly feeling like the world couldn't support him; Eren's hands gripped the edge of the boat very tightly.

"I'm not weak!" his breathing was no longer than of a normal human, but that of a hungry animal.

"I'M NOT WEAK!" his soul was screaming, trying to push the fire in his throat through his mouth. His teeth clenched so hard they could shatter, knuckles white and emerald eyes gleaming like fire in the slowly darkening sky; Eren's face was the picture of utter rage and defiance. "I AM NOT WEAK!"

"Prove it."

"Eren?" Armin's soft, concerned voice brought said boy out of his rage; if only a bit. The boy stood a distance away from his friend, noticing how tense Eren was and the near murderous look on the boy's face; a face that suited a beast rather than a human.

"I'm going to kill them all, Armin."

Well, that was unexpected. "Wh-what?!" the blonde boy gasped with obvious surprise; eyes wide. It was then that he noticed the look in Eren's eyes, the fire. It was the same fire he had seen all the times Eren had save Armin from bullies or spoke passionately, but never had the blonde seen the fire on a level like this before. If it were possible, as it was the only way Armin could describe it, fire would be spewing from his best friend's eye sockets.

"I'm going to kill all the Titans, every last one! I'll slaughter them all!" Eren would never forget those words, they were his cover. His facade. Something to cover up his true reason; his true reason to strive forward in this bleak world. Armin and Mikasa weren't so foolish, of course, and saw through his proclaim so very easily. They said nothing however, being the faithful friend and sister that they were, and followed him onto his path. Because they trusted him, because they all needed each other, and because their friendship was one of the few things they had left in the world.

Of course, that was all going to change.

The boat continued moving gently, taking them to the future of fire and blood.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"EREN, stay with me boy!"

"Uh, geh. D-dad?"

"That's right son, hold on. You're doing great so far."

"The pain..."

"I know son, I know. Bear with it a little longer, you're so close."

"I-I don't, I can't..."

"Remember the key, Eren! The basement, our home! That's where you have to go! When the time comes, use this power to get home! To find the truth!"

"Basement...key...truth!"

"YES, yes son that's it!"

"Power...more, more power!"

"Easy son, don't let this power control you. Master it, to save everyone! Your mother, Mikasa, Armin!"

"More...I need more!"

"Eren!"

"I must prove myself, to THEM!"

"EREN!"

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five Years Later

"I hope you're watching."

He had made it. It had taken five long years, taken a lot of talking and screaming and tears, but he had finally made it. He had made to the top ten, able to pick out which unit of the military he wanted to apply to. There was no question, he wanted –needed- to go to the Survey Corps. Regardless of what others say, regardless of his mother and step sister, he's destiny was to make it to this moment. And then, right after graduation, it had come again. The Colossal Titan had returned, kicking in a fresh hole in Trost. While the others, his comrades, were horrified; he was ecstatic. He had waited for this moment longer, a chance to finally prove himself. To them.

To Guyvers Yin and Yang.

"I'm not the same little kid anymore; I'm stronger, smarter, and faster."

Blades drawn and the air rushing past him, he flew up high and landed solidly on the top of the wall. Realising a sigh, his head slowly moved upwards and he stared into the eyes (blue eyes, his mind dimly noticed) of the one who had both ruined and made his life better. There was no fear, only determination that made the fire in them flare beautifully.

"I'm going to kill this bastard, and then you'll both be proud of me. I'll show you both, that's a promise."

"Hey." He greeted in a tone that one would consider far too easily going, "It's been almost five years..." He then did something which one would not do when facing a giant cannibal, something that most would call him crazy if they had seen him do it.

Eren Yeager grinned cockily, "how about a nice slice of vengeance?"


	2. Return of the Guardians

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus we enter that main point of the story, we enter Hell on Earth.
> 
> We enter Trost!
> 
> Originally, this was going to be one whole chapter, but I decided to split it in half and shorten it a bit. So this is part one of Trost, the next part will be out soon.
> 
> Please comment, and ask questions if you wish!
> 
> Disclaimer- I don't own Attack on Titan, it all belongs to Kodansha. I also don't own Guyver, it all belongs to Kadokawa Shoten. I only own my OCs.

"Don't die." Mikasa Ackerman, Age 19, Year 850, The day Trost was breached.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Now, North of Trost District, Wall Rose, Half an Hour after the Appearance of the Colossal Titan

Sufficient to say; today didn't go the way she had thought it would.

Before graduation, she had her mind set on getting into the Military Police; fighting the Titans from the inside rather than directly. That, and help the general public at the same time. That—and also because she was utterly afraid of those abominations that stalked beyond the walls, to the point where it kept her up at night. Though, after a certain suicidal bastard's speech, she begun to rethink her choice.

That night, after the celebration, she rethought her future; as well as her place in helping humanity. The idea of just accepting her fate of getting eaten suddenly became rather—embarrassing. She had come from Stohess, her home town connected to Wall Rose, far from the problems of those from Wall Maria. However, she wanted to help those who needed it; but she still feared death.

Now, that had changed.

She was determined to prove herself, get herself noticed by some of the upper soldiers. If she could contribute to sorting out the situation, kill a number of Titans, then maybe she could be able to join the Scouts. If anything, she wanted to prove to Eren that she could fight. That she could stand up and fight back against those monsters. She was determined to do so, and so was Thomas and even Armin. They were Squad 34, and they were going to live through this. They were going to win.

But she was wrong, so wrong and so stupid.

It happened so fast that it was almost hard to remember the events properly, but she could still see Thomas. Blood sneaking up his white shirt and his terrified expression, all that before he was swallowed whole.

It all went to hell after that.

Eren had flown off, drunk in despair and rage, mind set on revenge. When he did notice the second Titan, a smaller one with a larger jaw, it was too late. It bit off his leg, and Eren crashed into a heap on top of the next building; a bleeding stump where his left leg was. Seeing him like that, the suicidal bastard who inspired them all and spat in the face of fear and death, made them lose their will to fight. Armin the most, who collapsed to his knees as he stared on at the still form of his childhood friend in silent horror.

When she, Nac and Mylius spotted another Titan there was no plan, no thought at all. They just had to kill it, to get revenge for Thomas and Eren, they needed to take blood. Their first blood. She was taken out first. Her cable, which had been latched onto the bastard's shoulder, was tugged by said monster and she found herself slamming hard into the building besides her. Nothing was broken, but she did lose the wind within her and she slid down the rest of the way until she stuck the ground.

It wasn't so much fear that filled her heart; it was more like—defeat. She had tried, she really had, she pushed herself but in the end her efforts had been in vain. When strength returned to her, she looked up—and into the eyes of another Titan. About ten to twelve meters high, it was leaning down to look at her with its hands on its knees. It had an almost—childish face, with big puppy like eyes stuck in a glare and pouting lips. One could almost say it was cute, that it had the face of an angry child that hadn't gotten its way, if they didn't know what the monster did.

She almost did.

Defeat became despair as she realised, with sad knowing, that the end was before her; that the Grim Reaper stood before her. When she was growing up, the people of her town had stories saying that each person had their own personal Titan that they would meet one day; that they all had their reapers bound in the flesh of giants.

And she, Mina Carolina, knew then that hers stood before her. She couldn't run, nor would she be able to call for the others to help her. She didn't, though, curse or blame anyone as the Titan stretched a hand out to grab her.

She didn't blame Eren for inspiring her when others hadn't.

She didn't blame Thomas for not acting fast enough when the abnormal pounced at them.

She didn't blame Armin for losing the will to fight at the sight of his hurt friend.

Mina wasn't like that and even now, at the end of all things, she couldn't bring herself to hate anyone for her predicament. It had been her choice, her decision, and she knew that blaming others would never change that. And, she knew in her hearts of hearts, she wouldn't regret the choices she made. She would cherish the good times, all her friends she had made these past three years, and she had faith that they would do what she had died tiring to do. Now she could look forward to some rest. To fall into a blissful peace, a never come back out of it.

In the end, what more could a human ask for?

The hand moved closer, and she closed her eyes, readying herself for the instant pain and then the peace. "I'm sorry Mum, Dad...I'm so sorry..." She was certain those would be her last thoughts—

CRASH!

But they weren't. When Mina's eyes snapped open they were met by a great gush of wind, which caused the girl to cry out in surprise and cover her eyes with her arm. When the wind finally stilled, she hesitantly moved her arm—only to stare wide eyed at the sight before her.

The Titan laid on the ground, its head a good seven meters away from its quivering body. Evaporating blood painted the space between the parts, a thin sheet of crimson on the dirt ground, and made steam rise into the air like a thick sheet of fog. And Mina saw a black figure stand within the fog, and then two piercing red eyes slashed through it like knives through flesh as its head turned to face her. The being walked forward slowly, its gaze locked on Mina and never once moving, each sound of its feet hitting the ground had the hint of metal to them as it got closer and closer; like a man in armour.

Once it stepped out of the mist, Mina saw its body completely—and she could not believe her eyes.

Its body was that of armour and flesh morphed into one, sapphire blue armour and white flesh, blood red eyes like a demon and a horn sprouting to match. It was just like the stories, the ones that had swarmed through the walls like plague, the stories of two beings that saved the lives of many five years ago. Beings that had not been seen if those five years, that had been called legends and dismissed of ever existing. To those who did believe, who wanted to believe, they were known simply as 'The Guardians.'

One black, one white.

"So..." The White Guardian spoke in a very human voice, one that sounded quite strained and mildly aggravated. Chin held aloft, though eyes unmoving, the being asked Mina a very simple question: "You wouldn't mind tell me what the hell is going on, hm?"

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guyver Yin was not having a good day.

Though, as he thought about when he flew down so fast that he decapitated a Titan, when had he ever not had a bad day? His life had been a total clusterfuck both before and after he found the Guyver Unit. Sure, he had good times with his brother and now deceased friends, and got many thrills form the life he led, but he longed for a life of peace.

The path for peace, however, was always filled with suffering and devastation; be it for him or others.

For him, as current events went, he had left his home world and been transported to a world were monsters roamed the earth with some sick hunger for human flesh; which almost made his world seem sane!

Almost.

However, his unwavering morality moved him into action, and he promised to save the people of this world. That was the promise, which he made to Eren. So, he did what he normally did to relieve his anger. He forced it into his muscles, making him tense and alert, and drove his body like a bullet into a Titan. It helped, though not as much as he would have liked, and then anger became surprise when he realised he had an audience. His crimson eyes locked on to the sound of a resounding heartbeat, a close one.

Walking through the steam produced by the evaporating blood and flesh, the blue and white Guyver saw the person who was producing the now calming heartbeat. The person was a soldier, a girl it be precise, dressed in a smaller uniform of the one of that soldier Yin had encountered in the past. The only noticeable difference on this one was the symbol on the arm, instead of a rose over a shield it was two swords crossed at the blades; it made the Guyver wonder what the different marks meant. The girl had fair skin, black hair in twin tails, and onyx black eyes. She was quite pretty, he thought absentmindedly, though he didn't dwell on the matter long.

With his frustration eclipsing his usual politeness, something that was rare to those who knew him, he asked exasperatedly. "So...you wouldn't mind telling me what the hell is going on, hm?"

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mina stared upward at the Guyver, and Yin stared downwards at the human.

His question hung in the air, yet Mina lacked the power to speak. It was all true, the myths and legends surrounding the events of five years ago. She still couldn't believe that she was staring up at one of humanities embodiments of hope, one of the beings that had inspired more people than ever to apply to the military three years ago. When she thought that the warrior was waiting for her to reply, and also fighting down the nervous feeling she felt under his unblinking gaze, she opened her mouth to speak—

Only to be cut off by the White Guardian, who raised his armoured hands up in a sort of apologetic manner. "No, I'm sorry." The last thing Mina was expecting was an apology from one of the Protectors of Shinganshina. Turning away in what could of been considered shame, the legend explained. "I'm having a really bad day, as I'm sure you are too, and my anger is getting the best of me. But that's not a good excuse for me to be talking to you like that."

Yin was appalled by his early manner of speaking, and that he let his composer slip even for just a few seconds, and had to apologise in order to continue talking to the girl before him. Taking a calming breath, the White Guyver suddenly turned back and clasped his hands together, before stating courteously "introductions are in order before anything, and of course, ladies first." With a smooth move of his arm, he gestured for Mina to state her identity.

It took said girl's mind a bit to process exactly what had been said to her, and when she realised that the Guardian was asking for her name, she flushed hotly. She felt rightfully honoured; it wasn't everyday one gets to speak with a hero of humanity. Trying to dispel any fear within her heart, she looked up at the impassive face of the Guyver with a tentative look.

Those crimson eyes stared into her, right into her soul, and the young soldier almost felt naked under the burning gaze. "Mina" she breathed, her voice slightly hushed, "Mina Carolina."

Yin repeated the name himself, feeling each letter roll off his tongue. He liked it, he decided then. It was a pretty name for a pretty girl. He also noted how it was a remarkably—British name. He'd think more on it later. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Carolina." Yin's words brought a higher blush to the girl's face, making her nearly as red as the Guyver's eyes. "I am-"

"The White Guardian, Yin. I know, sir."

Underneath the sapphire blue armour and crimson eyes that made up the White Guardian's face, the warrior had a face of shock. After a brief pause, he questioned the girl with unhidden surprise "you know of me?"

Now Mina looked surprised, if not slightly perplexed. "Of course I know of you!" she stated, her voice high with disbelief. "Everybody knows of you, sir" she flushed slightly when she added the 'sir' at the end of her words. She had to be respectful, she knew, lest she anger him and suffer.

The Guardians were well known for their wrath.

Now Yin was just lost, and he hated that. Again, the lack of knowledge made him on edge and nervous; and now he craved for answers. With answers, he'd be more at peace, and then he would be able to sort out the problem that laid all around him. All this, it really was hell. However, before he could even get a word through his armoured covered mouth, a horrifying scream of despair and terror ripped through the air. Yin turned sharply in the direction of the noise, his armour visibly bulging as his unearthly muscles tensed, ready for anything. Mina jumped herself and turned, but she cried out the name of the person who screamed. She'd recognised that voice anywhere. "Armin!"

Yin hardly heard her as he rushed over and pulled Mina close to his chest, making the girl cry out in surprise. "Hold on!" he kicked off the ground and they flew, the air roaring in their ears as they rushed to the person who was still screaming. She screamed herself, and the sound grinded on his advanced hearing, but did as she was told. The blue and white Guyver saw the boy immediately, dressed in the same uniform with a mop of blonde hair, and also saw the Titan that stood before him. Its eyes were void of life, its mouth was open in some dopey fashion, and it had a beard that reached its collarbone.

It was stained red, and Yin knew where the liquid came from.

"Wait for it..."

The Guyver instructed himself mentally, as the distance between him and the boy became shorter and shorter. It him, but not the human in his arms, time moved at half its normal rate form moments like these. It helped with planning and acting, and also assisted greatly in saving lives.

"Wait for it..."

He felt no fear, no panic; he didn't imagine what would happen if he missed the boy and what would follow. In these situations, Yin closed off his heart completely, blocking his emotions form corrupting his thoughts and making him panic pointlessly. Some would call it heartless, those closest to him had from time to time, but he called it safety. Not being able to feel anything meant he could think logically, and to think logically meant he could save more people. Unlike his brother, who allowed his emotions to cloud his better judgement.

"NOW!"

With his left arm securely locked around Mina's waist, his left one shot out and grabbed the young soldier by the back of his uniforms collar. "Got him!" Relief flooded the Guyver's heart, it felt like victory.

Quickly planning, the armoured warrior flew to a building which had no Titans nearby. Landing gently on his feet, Yin released his hold on the blonde's collar; who merely sat in place. It was worrying how the boy hardly screamed, or seemed to notice the Guyver's presence. Taking his arm away from Mina, the blue and white Guyver did a double take when she staggered and nearly fell; and she would have had he not quickly grab her by the arms.

"Easy, I've got you" he said softly, quickly understanding her disorientation. The humans of this world must not know what it means to fly like he could, it must have been but a mere dream to them, and as such one of them wouldn't be able to fully handle the effects of flying at such high speeds.

Mina quickly became aware of who was holding her, and she found herself staring into a pair of crimson eyes. Being so close to the Guardian made her skin crawl, but not in an unpleasant way. She had felt the heat of his body when he had brought her close to him, and now she was looking into his fathomless orbs. They were truly heart stopping, bottomless pits of crimson that would swallow up those with weaker hearts, making the stories come very short when they spoke about the brothers from an unknown plane. There was no resemblance of humanity in them, nothing at all that she could see. There was also something vaguely omnibus lurking in the depth of his gaze, something dark and foreboding, that sent chills creeping up her spine.

This time, it was chills of fear.

Finding her voice, she could only whisper "thank you."

Though not exactly sure what she was thankful for, the Guyver responded with a nod and the words "think nothing of it, Miss Carolina."

Blushing again at his polite words, Mina turned her gaze to the blonde who had yet to acknowledge their presence. Quickly making her way to his side, she kneeled to his eye level and saw that his face was completely blank. Armin's face was eerily like that of a doll, not a trace of emotion could be seen on his face or in his eyes, deeply concerning the girl and Guyver; the latter of whom stood a small distance away.

Mina gently shook Armin by the shoulders and his head flopped to and fro like a rag doll, a thing that would be comical to others, but for the two present it was quite concerning. Then, the black haired girl decided to speak "Armin?"

The boy blinked slowly, then once more but much sharper than the first and was accompanied by a jerk. His eyes regained clarity; and the boy stared at Mina with disbelief, like she was a ghost "M-mina?"

Said girl sighed with relief, and brought the blonde into a gentle embrace. Her eyes stung with held back tears. "Yes Armin, it's me. You're safe, we're both safe."

Armin sat there, in Mina's arms, his face stuck in one of utter shock. Then, when he realised that one of his friends had come back to him from the slaughter, his eyes leaked great tears and he tightly returned the embrace, burying his face into her shoulder. His whole body shook, and Mina felt the wetness roll down her arm. "Oh God, oh God Mina, I-I thought you were-" the boy's words broke off into an incoherent, stuttering mess as he seemed to be trying to hold back screams.

"Shhhh" Mina gently rocked Armin like he was her own child, running her hands soothingly down his back. She wasn't that surprised that Armin was in the state that he was in, and she would be lying if she said she hadn't expected the sensitive boy to break under pressure. It was a horrible thing to think of her friend, but it was one she knew that many thought of him. But that was hardly going to stop her from helping him, no way in hell. "It's okay Armin, it's okay."

"No it's not" the boy's voice frightened Mina, never had Armin sounded so—furious. To Yin, his tone sounded like the deadly hiss of an Adder. "I did nothing, Mina, nothing. I just sat there, gawking like a fool as you and the others were...oh God, Thomas, Nac, Mylius..." the frightening anger died as quickly as it had appeared, and the blonde's voice quickly shifted back to one of despair and naked agony. Swallowing as though he had shards of glass in his throat, Armin croaked out "they could have survived if it weren't for me, and...And Eren, he..."

Yin, whom still watched the pair from his respectable distance, knew immediately what Armin was suffering from: survivor's guilt. He had survived when the others hadn't; he had witnessed their obviously horrible deaths and had been unable to stop it. He had been paralyzed by fear, its icy hand had clenched his heart, and now he was feeling the guilt of it. He could relate to the boy, he really could. He himself had suffered losses as well, and had wished to have died in their place. However, when the Guyver heard the name 'Eren' his body became deathly still. He was stiller than an undisturbed river, than a marble statue, and all he did was listen to Armin as he tearfully explained the events that transpired mere moments ago.

Twas the sight of Eren that had destroyed nearly all of Armin's will to fight, an understandable reason which both the listeners fully understood. And the sites of Nic and Mylius being eaten in their own horrific ways seemed to shut down all of the boys logically thinking; rendering him as powerless as he had always bitterly believed he was.

Then the Titan, that bearded bastard, had waltzed over and simply picked up Armin like he were an offering to the gods. Armin stated that he had simply lost the will to move, to act, and only did responded when he felt the slimy texture of the monster's tongue on his person.

He had screamed, and cried when he thought that the last he was going to see the sun was from the gaping hole that was the Titan's maw.

But then he appeared, Eren Yeager, wounded and bleeding grabbed the blonde at the last second, and threw him out of the Titan's mouth with surprising strength. He had said something, something Armin couldn't bring himself to say to her and the Guyver, and when the blonde reached out for him—the Titan slammed its jaw shut.

His story said, and the last of his composure broken, Armin just started sobbing again. "I'm such a useless bastard, what the hell am I going to tell Mikasa?!" a touch of fury was in the blonde's voice, but it was like the dying flame of a candle.

Giving Mina time to recollect herself and comfort Armin, Yin finally asked the question he was dreading to ask "This Eren…wouldn't happen to have been a boy with brown hair, emerald eyes and a last name Yeager, was he?"

Mina didn't notice Armin stiffing in her arms when the Guyver spoke, she was more caught up in the fact that the being had described her deceased friend so accurately. "Yes, he was all that" her voice did not hide the melancholy that now dwelled within her, though her eyes remained dry and steady. It was admirable, how strong the young woman's will was.

She watched with surprise as the Guardian inhaled sharply, his armoured chest puffing outwards with the air that was taken in, and his hands clenched into trembling fists. "Oh…" the voice of Yin, one filled with horror and deep sorrow, struck Mina's heart like she had been punched. Nobody liked seeing their heroes upset. His horned head turning away from the humans, crimson eyes looking onward to the rest of Trost, the Guyver continued mumbling to himself. "Oh, Eren…no!" his voice was but a whisper, but the emotions he seemed to be trying to conceal were easy to detect.

"You…"

Yin was brought out of his turmoil by the soft, shaky voice of Armin. Turning back to face the pair before him, the blue and white Guyver saw that the boy was staring at him with a look of confound; his sky blue eyes large. "It's you, from five years ago."

Then Yin suddenly realised it, the boy before him was no ordinary soldier; he was that little blonde from before. Eren's friend, Armin. This was the same Armin from then. "But it can't be him…" it couldn't be the same person though, as this boy looked around seventeen, when the Armin from Shinganshina was only about twelve. But then Yin's mind stopped dead when he realised the fact that had been spitting in his eyes: this boy had said five years. "Five Years ago." Horror gripped the Guyver's heart so greatly he nearly stopped breathing, as the horrible truth reared its hideous head. For the he and his brother, it had been but a much shorter period of time since Shinganshina and the battle with the Armoured Titan, but for this world, for everyone else, for Eren—it had been five years.

"You BASTARD!" it happened so abruptly that Mina and Yin both made sounds of surprise when the blonde jumped to his feet and charged at the White Guardian, his face one of pure rage and one blade drawn within his right hand-grip and gleaming menacingly in the sun. Yin, who had been brought back to reality from his horrible discovery, side stepped Armin's downward slash with ease; causing the boy's weapon to bounce off of the title when it struck them.

"Armin, stop!" Mina cried, now on her feet also but stood away for safety. And from fear. Again, this was nothing like anything anyone expected from the usually quiet boy, it was often believed that he had no anger in him. Safe to say though, he had definitely terrified her.

"Please stop, Armin" Yin dared to call the boy by his name; knowing inwardly that he really had no right to use it. Holding up his right hand in defence, it was all he would need to disarm the boy, he gently stated "I don't want to fight you, so please put your blade away and calm down." If Yin sounded condescending, he didn't mean it. One had to take control of situations like these, he had to be in control, when people lose their heads in blind rage.

And Armin's rage was just that. "You damn bastard" there it was again, the snake likeness in the boy's voice as he hissed those words out hatefully. Both Yin and Mina idly wonder if this would always be what Armin would act like in his anger. Turning his head, the blonde fixed the Guyver with a look of unhidden malice, "this is all your fault!"

Clenching the hand-grip with both hands so tightly his knuckle became white, and twisting his body so his shoulder was facing the Guyver and the blade was kept aimed at the being's chest, Armin ran forward without any sign of stopping. Yin flexed his hand, ready to needlessly defend himself. "EREN SPENT FIVE YEAR HOPING, PREYING, THAT HE WOULD SEE YOU AND YOUR BROTHER AGAIN! THAT YOU WOULD COME BACK! HE BELIEVED IN YOU BOTH SO MUCH THAT HE WAS WILLING TO THROW HIS LIFE AWAY, FOR THE PAIR OF YOU!"

Armin's words, dripping with hatred and poison, made Yin falter; his hand dropping as his mind was polluted by thought and images of the little boy had had looked up at him with awe and not the usual fear or suspicion that others always did. Armin stumbled slightly as he closed the distance between he and the Guardian and the blade missed its target, it stabbed itself into the exposed flesh just above the orb on the Guyver's waist. It sunk about 10cm in, and then moved no more.

Mina gasped in horror and her hands flew over her mouth, stupefied that Armin actually attacked someone, while said boy gasped when his rage polluted mind cleared. He saw the crimson blood roll down his blade, and stain the white flesh that seemed to be the belly of the being underneath the Guyver, and was instantly horrified by what he had wrought.

There was no satisfaction, no gain, just horrification and sudden guilt.

He was shocked more, when Yin grabbed the blade and pushed it deeper into his flesh, giving the barest of grunts in pain. Now closer, Armin could only stare upwards into those inhuman eyes and fought hard not to piss himself. Even after all this time, those crimson orbs still managed to terrify him.

"Please tell me that's not true" Yin's words were little more than a plea, his distorted voice low and filled with desperation. "Please tell me you just said all that to hurt me, because if so, you've succeed."

Armin couldn't find the breath to speak.

The blade still firmly stabbed within his abdomen, and blood leaking out of the wound and down his right leg at a steady pace, Yin continued on as if he was alone. "I was always glad to inspire people, always made me feel proud, but never like this. I didn't-" he suddenly sounded like he was choking on his own words. "I didn't mean to, I wasn't- I should've-"

"STOP IT!" Mina, who had seen as much as she could take, got in-between the two of them and pushed them apart. The blade pulled out of the Guyver with a wet, nauseating, slurping sound and the white and blue warrior just took step back. Yin simply placed his hand over the wound, and gave no sign at all that he was in pain. He was still and impassive, but his body was giving off an aura of deep sadness.

Armin's heart was quickly swarmed with guilt and remorse as he stared as the blood on the roof tiles, the blade that caused the bloodshed detached from the hand grip and clattered on the ground lifelessly, and he feel to his knees; tears streaming from his eyes. His teeth clenching together tightly, as so not to let his screams leave him, Armin gasped out brokenly "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" not even Yin could tell if those words were for him or the ones who had died. Or for Eren.

Mina looked between the warrior and the soldier, desperately trying to grab hold of the situation before it escalated. One was bleeding with a wound that would kill lesser people, and the other was an emotional wreck. She herself was just barely holding up, her heart was burning with the pain that was wrought from seeing a hero of her younger years and her friend in two completely separate kinds of pain. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Mina spoke to the Guyver in a small voice "you're bleeding."

"I'm healing" Yin voice was cold and detached, though not out of anger or spitefulness. It was a natural defence mechanism that he had developed over his time as a warrior, blocking off his emotions so he couldn't feel the pain that burned him like fire. It helped, and hurt, at the same time. Looking down at his waist, and removing his bloodied palm, he saw that by standing still he had given his wound enough time to heal fully.

Only a blood stain remained where a wound once gaped.

Taking a deep, calming breath and keeping his emotions contained as he always did, Yin mulled over what to do mentally. Whatever this city was, it was obviously connected to Shinganshina in some way or form; the walls that were easily seen in the distance were proof of that. The sapphire blue Guyver was willing to bet that the sixty meter high Titan from before had appeared again, and caused another breach in the wall that allowed the smaller Titans to get in. These two, as far as he could tell, were soldiers whose orders were to combat these monsters; even if it meant dying.

Valiant as it was, Yin could easily see that the two were terrified of the threat and it made him wonder just how far up the two where in this world's military pyramid.

Were they beginners, rookies or were they just plucked from their homes forcefully and thrown into combat with the barest of training? It made his stomach turn, how callous and cold hearted people of military groups could be.

Pushing the distracting thoughts aside, though reminding himself to look more into the military of this world later, Yin spoke to Mina with a voice that had more colour than his last words. "Tell me, Miss Carolina, what is your mission?"

It was a simple question and, after a beat of silence, Mina answered it as best she could "our, our orders were to assist in the evacuation of civilians; to ensure their survival. Even if it means sacrificing our own."

It was just as Yin thought, but he saw now as a perfect opportunity it gain some answers. "Where are we, by the way?" when Mina looked lost by the question, he elaborated slightly "let's just say that I still don't know my way around the block; and leave it at that."

Though slightly intrigued that the Guardian didn't know the name of the town he was said to watch over, Mina supplied the Guyver with the information he was hoping for "we're in the centre of Trost, one of the town districts connected to Wall Rose, just thirty minutes away from the breached caused by the Colossal Titan."

Again, Yin's thought had been proven true. It had happened again, and once more it seemed people were in a state mass hysteria. Eren, it seemed, was one of the only few who had risen to the challenge. While the thought made him feel a pang of sadness, he did smile as well. He was glad to know, or at least he assumed, that Eren had done well in five years. Another question came to the Guyver's mind, a very simply one at that which really held no place in the current situation, "what exactly is your status as a soldier?"

"Why all the questions?" Mina flinched at the sharp, cold edge in Armin's sudden question and turned to face the boy; just in case he decided to start swinging a blade again. The tears were gone, but his eyes were red and puffy, dampening his angered expression.

"The more knowledge I have, the better I can sort out this situation" Yin responded curtly, feeling no reason to be polite to the blonde at the moment. Armin was oozing with anger, and it pointed at him, the Titans, at everything. His body, that had his muscles tense, just gave off the message: 'wanna have go?' He wanted someone to shout at, to hurt, to relieve his anger in a way that didn't include bawling or cursing himself.

But Yin was hoping he could change the anger, turn it into determination or something useful. Getting back to Mina, he repeated his question "so, what's your status?"

"Um..." the raven haired girl shifted nervously like a schoolgirl, her cheeks coloured a light red. She was afraid if he warrior would be unimpressed by her and Armin's status, but she was compelled to answer him. The Guardian was beyond her and her military, belonging to a world and system that was unfathomable to them all. He was above her commanders in every way, and she wouldn't dare try to test his anger.

"I'm" she begun after a pause, looking into the Guyver's blood red orbs, "I've just graduated from three years of trainer, sir. So…technically, I'm just a cadet, sir."

Yin didn't response, he knew it was wise not to. If he did, it would have been a complete mess of angry words and outrage. "This is worse than I thought." He mused with dismay.

No wonder everything was going to hell, no wonder there was bodies piling up on the streets and Armin was traumatised, it seemed like half of these soldiers were completely unprepared for the horrors of real war. They were trained, that much was certain, but only physically. Yin knew that war killed minds more than it did lives, those who couldn't take the grim realisation of war and reality tended to break under the stress of it all and just stopped. He had seen it happen many times, and had been unable to do anything.

But that was then, and this was now.

And he was determined to set this right. It was his choice that made him and his brother leave Shinganshina, and now he could see the horrible price of that decision. He had to set things right, for all the people who had died because of his mindless wish for vengeance.

For Eren.

"For you, kid" the Guyver thought with a touch of misery, "and for all the days we never had together."

The determination flowing through his veins like a drug, Yin spoke in a voice that book no argument. "Tell me now, either of you: do you know of anyone who can assist us?"

Wonder broke over Mina's face "you mean...you're going to help us?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Yin sounded quite annoyed by the question. When he saw the flash of hurt fly across her face, he said "if there's one thing I can't stand, it's the death of innocent lives. That; and I also can't stand uncompleted things."

Armin's curiosity sparked, and he couldn't help but echo with interest "uncompleted things?"

The Guyver nodded "you were there, Armin, five years ago. Me and my brother promised that we would end humanities suffering, that we would eradicate the Titans and ensure your freedom. If there's one thing I do with the upmost zeal, it's keeping promises." Letting his words sink in, Yin watched their reactions carefully. Mina's eyes shined with the same hope that he had seen in countless others many times before, and Armin seemed to be perking up; if ever so slightly. He could do this, he quickly realised, feeling the familiar flames of determination and mad hope burn away in his chest. He can still inspire them; still give them hope to fight rather than just sit on their arses.

That was the one thing they needed, hope. Hope that they would survive. Hope that they would make it to see tomorrow. How that they could win. It was, as far as he had seen in this bleak world, the one thing these people were lacking.

Walking forward until he was within reaching distance, he offered a hand to Mina, who looked into his crimson orbs questionably. His voice soft and gentle, the blue and white warrior asked the girl "will you stand beside me, Mina Carolina, and help me in ending this battle?"

Being asked to fight, with the knowledge that death was a great possibility, was something that most people would decline immediately without much thought. Mina wasn't like that, too caught up in words said mere minutes ago that felt more like years. "If we prove ourselves in this first battle, they'll make us fresh recruits, hell; we might even get our own squad!" That had sounded really appealing when Eren said it, and it still did. But this was different, unlike Eren's suggestion that merely involved trying to appease their terrified commanders.

The being before her, the White Guardian that embodied control and caused death with unearthly gracefulness, was asking her to stand by him; not as a soldier but as a warrior. He saw her worthy to fight by his side, he, an image of hope of mankind; and he hardly knew her. Again, Mina felt honoured, and she felt no trace of fear in her heart when she gently laid her own palm upon his. It was warm, like the rest of him. "I would be honoured, to fight with you, Sir" she proclaimed, still using the formal term that she felt what the right way to address the Guyver.

Yin smiled widely under his metal face and, as he pulled his hand away from hers, said "I am not a soldier, Miss Carolina, nor am I a commander. Just call me Yin."

Mina smiled, "then call me Mina, 'Miss Carolina' makes me sound old."

Not wanting to break the image he had unwillingly created for him and his brother, Yin suppressed his amusement. This girl was definitely something else! "Very well then, Mina" the White Guardian when looked over the girl's shoulder; and she knew why.

The Guyver stepped past the girl and slowly made his way over to Armin, the latter looking at him with a stony expression. His eyes had fire in them, the anger mutated into resolve. Now all Yin had to do was giving the final push, and maybe the determination and will to fight would be born within the blonde. Standing before him, the blue armoured being held out a palm before the young soldier. His face as expressionless as ever, he stated in a steely voice "take my hand, and get up, Armin Arlert."

Shocked sky blue eyes stood against soul searing crimson ones, and the boy questioned with evidential surprise "you still want to help me? Even after all I did?"

"Do you think that you attacking me would make any difference at all?" Yin asked in return.

Armin couldn't understand the being, at all, but then again he never had been able to five years ago. The Yin-Yang Brothers, two enigmas walking through the carnage that had destroyed their world so easily and performing acts of gods. They were something to fear, to respect, but Armin felt neither of them. He felt something else against the Guyvers, something that wasn't fear or complete anger. It was feeling he had contemplated for these past few years, whenever the brothers were brought up he'd feel this feeling. The most when it was Eren specifically who brought them up, and always had that gleam in his eyes when he did so.

This feeling, dared Armin thinks it, was it—

"If you sit here, more people will die because of your inability to carry on." The boy's head snapped upwards as the Guardian spoke in a voice that had a colder tone with an undertone of sincerity, "I know it hurts to lose the people close to you, believe me I do, but wallowing in self pity and hatred isn't going to bring them back or make you feel better. This is war, Armin, and in war you must make it so you finish the battle; or else your friend's death, Eren's death, would all be in vain. You must complete your mission, save the people of this town, and put your friend's souls to rest."

Armin lowered his head, looking away from those empty inhuman orbs. He knew, despite how coldly spoken the words were, that the Guyver was right. Now wasn't the time to think on petty things or curse his life, now was the time for action. Eren was dead, and crying about it wasn't going to bring him back. The feeling of it, this acceptance that his childhood friend was dead—actually made Armin's chest feel lighter. It felt so wrong to feel that way, but Armin now knew that he had to move forwards; and not remain in this purgatory of despair.

He idly wondered that, if he followed behind the sapphire blue armoured being, if he'd be able to find the Titan that ate Eren and kill it.

His head rising back up, Yin felt great relief when he saw determination flare in the boy's eyes. "Alright" Armin reached out and grabbed the palm that had been offered to him, feeling the unusual fleshy texture of it over his own dainty one. "I'll stand by you, in memory of Eren and the others" his voice was no longer the wavering whimper it had once been, but it was now the strong one of a confidant fighter.

Yin simply nodded his acknowledgement, smirking under his armour as he pulled Armin to his feet. Maybe there was a chance for this boy after all. He then asked, "Do you know of anyone who can assist us? Comrades perhaps?" While the Guyver knew how much this went against his codes, to the point it made him feel ill, he also knew that it was unavoidable. He and Yang couldn't do this alone, even with all the power they possessed, the more help they had the quicker they could get this sorted.

It was one of 'those' situations.

"Mikasa" Armin answered immediately, the briefest hints of sadness flashing in his eyes, "we should look for Mikasa and the others, they probably need the help." He said this to both the Guyver and the person behind him, to Mina, who nodded her head in agreement.

"He's right, she'll be a great help to us. She's an inhumanly great soldier." Mina also agreed with Armin's latter words, about the others like Jean and that lot needing help; Mikasa was a one woman army so she'd be fine on her own. The order to withdraw had yet to be given, implying that there was still some citizens within the town that had yet to evacuate. Mikasa was part of the rearguard, and that's where they would find her. If they were lucky, they might find the others on the way as well.

"Then let's go" Yin said with finality and, when he got nods from both the young soldiers, he and them ran to the edge of the building and jumped off. He flew like a bird, they hooked on and off buildings like monkey's off branches. And as they followed the Guyver, as they followed him with the belief that they were going to make it out alive, Armin begun to dread what would happen when he told Mikasa about Eren's fate. "God, I just hope I'm ready. I hope she's ready to know." The thoughts were quickly forgotten, as Guyver Yin charged full speed at a Titan they were approaching.

The monster had none other than Franz Kefka in its maw.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the Inner Gate of Wall Rose

The street that led to the gate that was the both the entrance and exit of Trost was filled with panicked screams, an almost welcoming sounds to that of agonized screams of the dying or the chilling silence that covered most of the town. As a man fell to the ground with a split lip, his friend helped him up as he cried out in with desperation "hey you bastards, do you have any idea what's going on right now?!"

" 'Course we do, that's why we're doin' this! An' if you wanna get past the wall, then you'll help us!" a man with a bald scalp and tense brown eyes shouted back. Dressed in a simple black suit with a white shirt, that had the collar button undone, this person was none other than Dimo Reeves; head of Trost's shopping district. The chaos that was raging was due to the carrier that blocked the gate, its contents being food and other such objects, effectively trapping the remaining people of the town from escaping. That man who had fallen earlier was a mere citizen who had tried to take down Dimo, but was knocked to his ass by one of the man's bodyguards.

"That carrier won't get through, no matter how hard you try!" another person shouted out with a hint of mockery, his words nearly drowned out in all the other noises that surrounded the crowed of people.

"What are you thinking?!" a woman, one closer to the front of the sea of flesh, screamed to the short man. "People should go first!" Just about all of the people in the crowd were lost as to how Dimo could so callously put objects before that of human lives, but the fear of death and the urge to survive one out over these thoughts.

A member of the Garrison, a lanky blonde man, was thrown out of the mess of people. "You're a soldier man, do something!" the one who had pushed him forward yelled. The man was trembling in fear.

Dimo noticed this and was on him immediately, he snarled "take your best shot, grunt!" The taller man flinched, and cold sweat begun to roll down his brow. It was almost astounding how the soldier was intimidated by the slightly shorter, rounder man. His deep set eyes glaring with a dangerous light, Reeves sneered "I'm the head of the food companies in this town, who d'you think pays for all the food you and your buddies shit out every night!? Do you have the money to feed your comrades?" Not giving the terrified man the chance to speak, Dimo turned back and bellowed as he strolled towards his precious supplies "ALRIGHT, PUSH! Your pathetic lives aren't worth half the cargo on this carrier! But if you help me, I'll pay a handsome award afterwards!"

It was a cheap lie, most of the people knew that immediately, but they complied anyway. It was not for the money, but for survival. At the end of all things, one's life was worth more than riches or possessions. But not to Dimo Reeves, it seemed.

Then the heart stopping sound of great feet stomping was heard, and screams erupted from the whole crowd when they saw the Titan charging towards them; it was no more than a block away and coming in fast. A group of Garrison soldier tailed behind the creature and quickly discerned that it had to be an abnormal, due to it ignoring them and because of its great speed. Among the group was nineteen year old Mikasa Ackerman, who quickly shot herself forward when the others seemed unable to think of an action to take.

Hers' was simple: kill the Titan.

But then, as she drew her blades and got ready to turn her body and dealt the coup de grace, something red and faster than her zoomed past and made the wind roar in her ears. It slammed into the nap of the Titan's neck and crimson liquid exploded into the air. The cadaver flew forward and kicked up a cloud of dirt as it hit the ground, skidding forward until it stopped a few feet before the people of the back of the crowd.

Retracting her anchor and pulling her arms and legs, the raven haired girl fell and rolled upon the roof of the building besides her until she came to a stop. Noting was broken or cut, so she quickly got to her feet—and stopped dead when she saw what stood proudly on the copse of the Titan. The Garrison soldiers came by her side, they saw and did the same thing as she did.

What stood upon the disintegrating corpse, was none other than the red and black Guardian; Guyver Yang.

Yang, safe to say, was lost when he saw the crowd of people before him; all of them staring at him with different emotions. There was shock, fear, disbelief, amazement, and even joy.

"Joy...?" never had the red and black being been look at with joy before, how unusual it was. Then, when the silence became a bit too much for the Guyver's liking, he said the first thing that came to his mind: "Yo!"

Some people jumped, startled, others remained still while some still continued looking at him like a hero. However, Dimo broke the silence with victorious laughter. "Ya see, morons? Your whining has brought down the wrath of the Black Guardian upon you, perhaps now you'll start helpin' us move the carrier rather than face death!"

Now Yang was just completely lost, first people where looking at him like a hero, now he was being called the 'Black Guardian'? And why the hell was he the Black Guardian, couldn't they see that his armour was clearly crimson red? Red like the blood of his enemies, like the colour of the fluid that the Titans enjoyed feeding on, and his own glowing orbs. Then he remembered that he had called himself the Black Guyver, so perhaps people thought 'Guardian' would sound better and more understandable than the armor's real name. Putting the thoughts to one said, the Guyver raised his hands and shook them side to side in protest, "Whoa, whoa, hold on."

His inhuman orbs scanned the people before him and the slowly disintegrating corpse, slowly and carefully. Dimo's words had an effect it seemed, as now people were looking at him with fear as if he was a Titan. Feeling heat in his chest rise to his throat, though keeping it contained for now, Yang asked simply "tell me what's going on."

A woman who held her daughter in her arms was the first to speak, "Titans have entered Trost! We're meant to be evacuating behind Wall Rose, but his carrier is blocking the exit." In a way some would call childish, the woman added with slight venom and evidential anger "he won't let us go until the carrier's through first!"

Yin's eyes immediately went back to stare at Dimo with that heart stopping gaze, and he then inquired in a cold voice "is this true?"

The boss of Trost's markets was on incredibly thin ice, and the fool hardly knew it as he puffed his chest out and yell defiantly "this cargo is worth more than all these wretched fools' lives combined! Naturally then, it has more than enough right to go before some mere people!"

A tense silence held for a few seconds, no one dared to speak as Yang's blood red eyes stayed locked with Dimo's stern ones. It was almost admirable, how the latter didn't wither under the former's gaze.

Almost.

"Tell me you're taking the piss, mate, right?" Yang pointed to the dying city behind him, the black smoke from the fires that ate away at the homes visable even from the distance away from them. It was just like Shinganshina, everything was burning. But the red Guyver felt only anger boil in his breast as he stated "people out there are dying because you think you're precious cargo is more important than the lives of others. Soldiers are being slaughtered as we speak, hell; you were almost killed if I hadn't been around to end this monster!"

CRACK! As if to emphasise his pointed, his armoured foot stomped on the near bone corpse. An audible crack echoed through the air and grinded into the crowd's ears.

His voice becoming colder, and more menacing, the red and black Guyver questioned, "was all this, all this needless death, really worth the quality of some supplies?" Yang was giving Reeves a chance, he really was, and he was even going out of his way to suppress his anger. As he had taught Yin fighting styles, his little brother had taught him about giving people chances; about forgiveness to avoid guilt or unnecessary bloodshed.

Even if they were ungrateful, death deserving bastards.

"To lack mercy or compassion, is to lack the qualities that make us human," that was what the blue and white Guyver had said; and Yang would rather die than to scoop to the same levels as his enemies.

Part of him hoped that the man would reconsider and move a carrier, while another (greater) part of him hoped that he wouldn't.

"Those miserable meatbags are finally using their training after a century of lazing about, so of course they're going to die! But there's no reason to shed tears over them, just because they're finally gaining their keep!" Dimo suddenly grinned at Yang as though they were old friends. "But come on, Black Guardian, you're virtually a god among those grunts! Forget about them; help us, the people you promised to protect!"

Dimo's face contorted into something dark and ugly, "make these moronic ingrates push the carrier though, and I promise on my wife's grave that I'll give you anything you desire. Money, women, anything at all!" Dimo's words were final; he was totally convinced that what he was doing was right. Soldiers dying in battle were unavoidable, and just because they were being eaten because people were crying about a carrier blocking the way wasn't his problem at all. He had an image to kept, he was the boss, and he wasn't going to back down from anyone. Not even the Guardian.

Underneath the crimson armour that covered his real face, Yang's face adopted an emotionless mask. All that, all that shit and fake promises that spewed from Reeves mouth, was all he needed to hear. Yin would give him hell for this, and possibly more, but there were two things that the older sibling thought of:

1, he wasn't here.

And 2, fuck him.

Jumping off the skeleton of the Titan, he walked slowly through the crowd; the people moving out of his way to avoid the anger they were sure Dimo had caused. "You know, I have no faith in humanity at all, so I don't really care for the affairs of others. I also hate governments, killin' soldiers make me a happy warrior" Yang told without breaking his stride, sounding almost amused by his own words; his latter words flippant like he were talking with some friends. People tensed when his voice suddenly became deadly, the words laced with white hot anger. "But even so, I would never abandon them. Nor would I throw them into death so callously. Civilian or soldier."

Dimo was in his sights, the short man looking scared and sweating, and then red and black Guyver spoke in a dark voice with hint of joy "and I'll tell you something else, asshole, I enjoy nothing more than wiping scum like you off the face of the earth."

"Asshole?! Scum?!" Insulted, Dimo found the anger to rebuff the Guardian, "just try it, you red bastard! I'm the boss of this town's shopping district, and I can- Oi, where you two going?!" Reeves faltered and lost his anger when his bodyguards and other companions suddenly sprinted away from him and moved to stand with the crowd. The men obviously felt the inhuman aura irradiating from the Guyver and instantly came to one simple conclusion: their boss was dead.

Now alone, Dimo quickly realised that fact himself. The Guyver now stood an arm's length before him, his body looming over the shorter human and covering him in his shadow. Eyes lacking anything remotely human, Yang's voice was but a shard of ice as he sneered "I think your death will save the lives of many, these people included, you should be honoured." An armoured hand lifted until it pointed at Dimo, in-between his eyes. It stayed there for a few tense seconds, before Yang raised it heavenward. Now the fingers were sharp claws, the knife-like metal pieces gleaming in the dim sunlight.

Terrified and alone, Dimo was certain that his angel of death stood before him. Now reduced to a mere man, he stuttered out "I-I thought y-you was a hero! Saving people, NOT KILLING THEM!" those final words were him screaming out his fear, anger, desperation and regret. If anything, he hoped he could play the morality card and escape whilst the armoured being pondered.

However, his last card didn't faze the Guyver in the slightest.

"Whoever said…that I was a hero?"

Yang moved in a blur of motion, so fast that the people who watched him pass judgement so intensely didn't even see the armoured arm move. Dimo Reeves stood completely still, face locked in a look of shock and still staring upwards at the Guardian, as if the Guyver had frozen him in time. But then, the attack the black Guardian had dealt made itself known in gruesome detail.

A line of red ran from Dimo's bald crown to his chin, three red drops dripping from his stubble before a crimson mist shot out, splattering over Yang's armoured chest. His attack had been a simple one, yet it had also killed the short man instantly. Eyes rolling in different directions, the body slumped back against the carrier it had valued so much and slid slowly to a sitting position and moved no more.

Yang was slightly surprised that no one cried out at the action, and that no one had screamed that he was a monster or a murderer. Some of the children who were present had their eyes covered, whilst other didn't. Even at such young ages, they were already accustomed to the sight of death and blood.

Dimo's bodyguards didn't feel much over the death of their boss, having known that his fate was sealed the second the Guyver begun walking towards him. They agreed, they thought in one way for form; their boss was an asshole.

Taking two steps back from the corpse, Yang flicked the gore off his left hand and raised the other; the Control Metal glowed upon his forehead.

The carrier jolted, as if grabbed by some unseen force, and slowly begun to move backwards. The people could only watch, awestruck, as the Black Guardian pulled the carrier back without even touching it. It was, unknown to them, a simple show of telekinesis; one of the many abilities that the Guyver unit had to offer the host underneath the armour. Mere seconds later the carrier levitated off the ground, and the corpse that laid on it fell and slumped onto the ground. Now a few feet of the ground, Yang's arms moved to the right and the carrier flew in that direction. Passing over the heads of the crowd, it crashed onto the ground and became a heap of wood and food.

Not even looking at his handy work, neither the corpse at his feet or the pile behind the crowd, Yang turned to the side and addressed the people in a firm voice that they all heard. "If you wanna live, then get out of here now."

They needed no more words, as families and couples quickly made their way to the opening. Some were pushing with desperation, others were taking it slow to address their love ones and to glance at the Guyver, and most just went with the relief of being alive. And with hope, something that the Guardian unknowingly inspired. As they did leave though, Yang shouted out in his metallic voice "and tell all you cross, THAT THE YIN YANG BROTHERS ARE BACK!"

They would. The stories and legends had been proven true, they actually existed. The Guardians of Humanity, one clad in blood red armour and another in sapphire blue. People would be told, and they would know that their lives were in safe hands. Hands that could willed unimaginable power. Hands that weren't afraid to get dirty, that weren't afraid to pass judgment over those who deserved it; like the act that they had seen before them.

Yang didn't burn the corpse, not like he and his brother usually did, he instead left it as he turned to his heel and walked away. It would be a sign, the proof of his wraith and a warning to all those stupid enough to try and aggravate him.

"Thank you!" the Guyver was stopped by the words, and turned his head to see the same mother and daughter from before. The child was beaming at him; it was unlike any stare anyone had given him in his own world. The mother then spoke with glassy eyes of gratitude, "you saved our lives, and the lives of the others, we're very grateful."

There was stillness as the Black Guardian stared at them, his face blank of all emotions. Then, he turned back to the direction he was walking and continued moving. The wind carried his soft words. "It was nothing." Unlike most who would feel happy to be thanked for their efforts, the red and black warrior only felt bitterness inside his chest as the child's words echo in his mind. Neither he nor his brother were ever thanked for their deeds, they were always shunned as monsters and attacked by lynch mobs. Though they could take these things in their stride, as they faced threats far more dangerous and menacing than groups of humans, they were always left with this sense of desolation. Being thanks now though, being looked at like a hero and receiving gratitude, after everything they had been through—

The sound of something piercing the earth came from behind him, and Yang became still when he felt the presence of someone standing behind him. This someone, he knew without a doubt, was a soldier. This person had obviously seen his little act from before and, like most simple minded humans, wished to express their displeasure of the scum's death and rave on about justice and the right and wrong morality bullshit. Yang was in no mood for this, but he waited. Should the conversion that was inevitable arise, he'd simply silence the person. But should they say something else, he'd hear them about.

The latter case seemed to be what was happening, and the person behind him didn't say a word. There was only the sound of her breathing, yes her; he could tell by the breaths that the person behind him was a female. Finally, Yang broke the almost comfortable silence "what is it?" His impatience leaked through his voice.

"I…that was a brave thing you did, killing that man in front of all those people." The woman's voice made Yang think of his little brother, a soft voice with an unshakable steely undertone. Calmness, even in the worst of situations. Clearly this one had seen hell, and came back alive.

Her words, however, didn't sit well with the Guyver and said being instantly lost his little respect for the woman. "I don't give a damn how people see me, be it a hero or a monster. I have many reasons to fight, something a soldier like you wouldn't even begin to understand!" With the bitterness in his chest feeling even more unbearable, Yang begun walking; silently fuming over the people he despised. Damn soldiers and their one sided minds, what pains in the ass they were.

"You don't recognise me?"

Yang stopped dead in his tracks, and turned to give the soldier a piece of his mind—before he saw the woman's face. She was beautiful, that was the first thing that came to his mind. Her face was fair, pale skin that almost bordered on being porcelain, with short raven black hair. Her eyes were deep water blue, gleaming with resolve like crystals in the light. She wore the same uniform as all the other soldiers, though what made her stand out was the red scarf she had around her neck. Quite unsuitable, he thought, given the summer temperature of the day. Her stoic expression, one that should very little emotion even before him, reminded him of his younger brother yet again.

He stared at her, and she stared back at him unflinchingly. The Guyver wracked his brain, trying to think of a reason why she should remember this woman who stood before him. Then, it hit him like a kick in the nuts. "You're…" but he couldn't believe it, it just wasn't possible! "You're that girl, from before. The one who was with that boy, Eren. I…never really got your name."

The first hue of emotion came on the woman's face: relief with a hint of joy. She smiled ever so slightly, and introduced herself. "I'm Mikasa Ackerman, and it's good to see you again, Guyver Yang."

After recovering from her stumble in mid-air, Mikasa watched the Black Guardian from afar. She was amazed, after five years he had come back when humanity needed him the most. She was also slightly surprised by the bloodshed that had followed, however she heard what Dimo had said and felt no pity for the man when his head slashed open. Hell, where she in Yang's position, she might of done the same. Then, when the act was done and the towns people were saved, her group leader stated with a touch of grimness that they should leave; he knew better than to say and get in the Guyver's path. The Yin Yang Brother were the stuff of nightmares to all the military sections. She stayed behind though, unafraid as she knew her brother would also be, and then made her presence known as the Guardian slowly made his way down the street.

Yang continued to stare at her with those unblinking red eyes, "you've grown…" he muttered, unsure of what to say. Again, how could this woman be the same little girl from before? It was only two days ago when he last saw her and Eren!

Mikasa tilted her head slightly in confusion, "that's natural after five years" she said, and for some reason she felt disappointed. But where this disappointment came from, and for what reasons she felt it, she couldn't tell.

Yang became petrified by the words, but kept any and all words that he could have said behind his lips. That again, was thanks to the control his younger brother had taught him. Five years?! How, how could this be possible?! The only way that this could happen was if-

"Was if we were sent forwards in time" realisation dawned upon Yang as painfully as a hit in the solar plexus and, as quickly as disbelief appeared, his soul begun to scream with incredible fury. "That motherfucker!" the Guyver's hands curled into tight, shaking fists; an aura of anger radiating off his being. Mikasa blinked, taken aback by the sight of the Guardian shaking visibly with obvious rage. She took a step back for safety. Those who knew her would have been shocked by the show of caution, but Mikasa knew that she was but an ant in the presence of even just one of the Brothers.

Biting back his anger for now, and making a note to unleash it bit by bit on every Titan he came across, Yang asked the raven haired woman a question that had been swimming at the back of his mind. "Where is Eren?"

Hiding her relief of the welcoming subject, Mikasa answered immediately "he's fighting the Titans as we speak, I was about to go off and find him." Pausing briefly, she gathered the courage to say her next words to the Guyver, "you can…come with me, if you want."

Yang's surprise was hidden under his armoured face. Interesting, usually it was he or his brother who asked that question. His surprise then melted into a large grin, this woman was definitely something else! "I'd be glad to, Miss Ackerman" he couldn't wait to see an older Eren; he wondered how the years had treated the kid.

Her face brightened, and she jerked her chin to the side, "Follow me." One of her cables shot out, stabbing into the building besides them and she was pulled off the ground. He followed her easily, via levitation. Walking over the title of the building, Yang asked another question that had been bugging him: "so you and Eren, what exactly is your relationship with him? Friends? Childhood sweethearts? Lo-"

"He's my brother" though the words were said with the same impassive tone she seemed to always speak with, Mikasa's cheeks were dusted with a light pink.

Again, Yang surprise was hidden buy his armour, but this time his surprise left quickly as it was replaced by slight suspicion. He wasn't an idiot; he could clearly see that she and Eren looked nothing alike to be called siblings. "I wonder…" a sudden notion struck the Guyver, and he felt an unusual feeling in his chest. "Is she…the same as me?" The Black Guardian moved the thoughts aside, hardening his concentration on the task at hand. Right now, survival was more important than personal feelings or the information of a child he had saved long ago.

With a content silence blanketing them, the red and black Guyver followed the raven haired girl through the quiet town that was Trost. Unknown to both, they shared a similar notion inside their minds: As long as their siblings were alive, they could fight to the bitter end. To them, family was far more important than anything else in this bleak reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said before, this chapter was going to be longer; but I decided to shorten it.
> 
> The next chapter will be out soon.
> 
> Also, yes, I killed Dimo Reeves. In case you're wondering or thinking it, I didn't have him killed because he was an ass or because I wanted Yang to kill someone and show the difference between him and his brother. I did it because I am aware of the role Dimo plays later in the plot of Attack on Titan, and by removing him it will generate effects later in my story. Those who have seen the latest manga chapters will know what I'm talking about. Just wanted to be clear on that fact.
> 
> Please comment and tell me what you thought, till next time, cheerio


	3. The Unlikely Ally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's part two of the Trost Battle, where the young soldiers and Guardians get assistance from a surprising ally.
> 
> I'd appreciate reviews, I'd especially like to know if I kept the character's true to their original personalities as much as possible. So of course, please comment and tell me what you think!
> 
> Disclaimer- I don't own Attack on Titan, it all belongs to Kodansha. I also don't own Guyver, it all belongs to Kadokawa Shoten. I only own my OCs.

"If you don't fight, we can't win!" Eren Yeager, Age 11, Year 844, The Day he met Mikasa Ackerman

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's amazing how quickly people lose the will to do things, how from sometimes the smallest things can cause a person to lose the power to perform the greatest task. Whenever something appeared so great, so terrible, so horrible to overcome that people just end up to shut down and await their fate. And pass the time by wallowing in despair and complain about what paths they could have taken and what mistakes they regretted. This was the case of the trainees, including most of the 104th Squad.

Or what was left of them.

The trainees were scattered out in huddles upon the tile rooftops of a collection of Trost's warehouses, each young cadet covered by a cloud of despair and defeat. They saw no hope in breaking through the wall that was in their minds, that stopped then from moving forward. These were also the feelings coursing through Jean Kirstein's blood right then and there, and the light ash-brown haired man could only halfheartedly listen to Connie's protests as the boy thought desperately to break through the wall. "Ah, shit!" the short boy cursed, running a hand over his buzz cut scalp, "Jean, what are we gonna do?!"

"We can do anything" said boy answered with misery, raising his head and place a hand over his brow. His amber eyes shined with bitter amusement and despondency, hopelessness bleeding through his voice as he continued "we were given the order to withdraw, but it just so happens that we've run out of gas at the same time." After helping many civilians to escape, and trying their damndest to avoid getting into the path of any Titans, the group of young soldiers had lessen their supply of gas. Now with so little left, getting over the wall was a fool's dream.

"This is how it ends," anger leaked into Jean's voice, "thanks to those damn cowards!"

"You mean the supply depo?" Connie guessed, and when he got no answer he knew he was correct. Feeling the desperation gnawing at his heart, he questioned incredulously "what's happened, where the hell are they?!"

"They all lost their will to fight" Jean knew because he had lost his. "And while I can understand why, it's still no reason why they should have barricaded themselves inside HQ. And now with the Titan's gathering out the outside of it, there's no way we can get in there to replenish our gas!"

Inhaling sharply at the realisation, Connie shouted with evidential desperation "okay, then we've gotta go! Risk it all so we can shorten the number swarming Titans! Staying in this roof is asinine, eventually the Titans are gonna get us!" Growing concerned by Jean's impassiveness and unwavering steely eyes, the gray haired boy's desperation rose with an undertone of despair, "Trying to escape is pointless, we've hardly got any gas left! If we lose our mobility gear then that's it, we'll be completely screwed!"

"You're using your head for once, Connie" if his tone wasn't so lifeless, Jean's remark could have been taken as one of his usual snide comments. "Your plan's solid but" Jean turned his sad gaze to the rest of the troops, "I'm just don't think we've got the numbers to pull it off." Connie followed his friend's gaze and saw them, they who were once prideful to-be-soldiers that were now reduced to sniveling children. "The veterans and vanguard have been decimated, and no one here is strong willed enough to lead this plan of yours into action." Jean sighed tiredly, "But even if we did have a leader, it wouldn't do us much good. There are probably three or four meter range Titans in the supply room, and we'll hardly be able to do anything in those conditions. And that's assuming that half of us survive the initial assault."

Understanding the gravity of the situation, which allowed the despair to fully consume him, Connie's whole body seemed to deflate. "Then…it's hopeless" he breathed, sounding on the verge of tears.

Jean sighed again, placing his head in his hands. This is exactly the reason why he wanted to join the Military Police, to avoid this torrent of despair and death. He wasn't just afraid of his own death, he was more afraid of the idea of seeing the copses of his friends being reduced to ashes in the aftermath. If they lived long enough to see the aftermath. He idly remembered Marco saying he had natural born leader skills, but he saw that even the happy-go-lucky Marco was accepting their impending doom. What a dull life he had lived, he never even got to tell them how he felt.

A sudden wheeling noise was enough to make Jean and Connie jump, but they quickly felt a wash of relief when they recognised the familiar faces. Armin, Mina, Hannah and Franz (the latter of whom had some kind of rips in his uniform). However, Jean quickly went as white as a sheet when a figure rose from behind the group. Its body was cover in sapphire blue armour, a horn sprouting from its crown, with was appeared to be muscle segments that were stark white. The angled eyes were blood red, glowing like lights that rooted Jean to the spot. It floated in midair without any kind of device, without the slightest hint of difficulty, and it gently moved forward until its metal encased feet touched the titled roof.

The sight of the creatures caused instant panic; people who had lain about like corpses suddenly sprung to life and started screaming in fear and cowered at the mere sight of the being. Other drew their blades for defence and waited for anything, though they didn't hind the fear and despair that shrouded their faces. Jean, Connie, Reiner and some of the other people Armin knew had their blades at the ready. "Wait!" he shouted with all the strength he could muster, "this creature isn't our enemy!"

"Have you completely lost your head Armin?!" Jean shot back incredulously, his grip on his blade handles tightening. Connie and the others said something similar, though it was hard to make out over the screaming. Armin paused, blocking out the world and Mina's words as she stood for the Guyver's defense, trying to think of anything he could say that might prevent an all out brawl.

Then, he got an idea.

"THIS BEING BEFORE YOU IS THE WHITE GUARIDEN, GUYVER YIN!" he screamed, using all his might and conviction to make the statement as powerful as possible. In the blink of an eye, all the screaming and panicking stopped. Looks of disbelief, wonderment and joy hued onto the faces of the trainees.

Upon Jean's face was one of astonishment, "you're kidding" he breathed, unable to believe the words of his young friend. Before entering training, Jean had heard the stories of the Guardians that had saved the lives of those from Shiganshina, that had the power that rivaled that of a God. However, they were just that to him: stories, and nothing more.

Armin released a breath, relieved that he had prevented chaos. Before he could answer Jean statement however, Franz spoke up "it's true Jean, he's the one and only White Guardian!" He turned and gave the inhuman being a friendly smile, "I would have been dead if not for him."

It had been mere luck, or at least that's how Yin saw it. He had flown at his next target at full speed and had completely ripped apart the nape of its neck, freeing the young man who had been within its jaws. Yin caught him in midair, and immediately noticed the wounds on his torso. Landing to the ground he was nearly attacked by a panicking Hannah but was saved by Mina, who quickly calmed her friend down. Then, it had been a simply job of healing the wounds. Simple, at least, in the Guyver's opinion. "A second later, and you most certainly would have been dead" was what Yin had said after, shortly before Hannah threw herself at her love and showered him in affection that made the other two soldiers present blush. With two new companions on his side, Yin progressed with the task of finding the others and his brother.

He noticed, as he scanned the faces of the soldiers who looked ready to kill him just mere seconds ago, that the humans were looking at him like he was a messiah. A God, who would deliver them from the suffering they had endured. "Five years" the Guardian thought, amazed at the impact he and his brother appeared to have had on this world's people. It was still a bitter pill to swallow, to know that all this could have been avoided if he had put the people above what he considered to be the greater threat. But he knew that dwelling on these thoughts wasn't going to help, and thus put the 'what ifs' out of his mind.

"I don't believe it" Marco sounded amazed, all the gloom from before completely absent from his face. Hope gleamed in his eyes as he stepped hesitantly closer to the white muscled being, his lips quirked into a small smile "you're really real. A being with the eyes of a devil, yet the soul of a hero."

Yin chuckled, surprising Armin and Mina at the display of emotion, amused by the colourful description of himself. "It's nice to see that I've had a positive impact on you younglings" he quipped, missing Armin's grimace at his words.

He also missed Reiner and Bertholdt sharing a glace, the latter giving his bulkier friend a concerned look as he shot a hateful glare at the blue and white warrior.

"Well, looks like things are finally looking up!" a metallic, distorted voice crowed; and again Armin jumped at the familiar voice. All eyes turned to the new occupants of the roof; they were none other than Guyver Yang and Mikasa.

"Jesus Christ, there's two of 'em!" Jean stated needlessly with evidential surprise, and it didn't miss Yin that the young soldier seemed dubious of he and his brother. He wasn't surprised; he had been expecting someone to look at him funny since he got here. He idly noted that the faces of the other soldier seemed to brighten all the more at the sight of his brother. The blue and white Guyver turned to face his coequal, who he knew was grinning underneath his armour, and inquired as he clenched a hand into a fist "you alright Yang?"

Said Guyver walked forward, lifting a fist, "all the better for seeing you, little brother." Their fist bumped together, a habit that the pair always did wherever they felt like it.

"I trust you've seen the situation?" Yin assumed as he lowered his hand.

"I have" Yang answered with a touch of grimness, "and it's not good. Their HQ is over run with Titans, both small and big. Obviously some of the soldiers are hiding within the place, using it as a shelter. The damn cowards, so many are dying because of them!" The Guyver's last words were a snarl of anger.

Yin, however, was placid. "And from what I've observed here, this lot are low on gas for their gear," He gestured at Mina's 3DM Gear.

"Then our next course of action is simple" Yang stated, and then went on to bluntly say, "we need to take out the Titans surrounding their HQ and then they can carry on with their duty."

"Our duty?!" the brothers turned their soul searing gazes to Jean, who have them both an astounded look. "We've been given the orders to withdraw behind the wall; we don't have to do anything else!"

"So you'll willingly leave others who can't make it? You'll leave them to die horrible deaths, just to save your ass?" Yang intoned coldly, his instant dislike the Jean obvious.

Jean pressed his lips into a thin, grim line. The Guardians may be real, but he wasn't about to back down and follow orders from them. "I'm not here by choice you know, one more day and I would have been inside the interior; I'd have been living an easy life!" the boy was being nothing but honest, but he had no idea that he was just adding more fat to the fire inside Yang's chest.

"You're a soldier, you don't get easy lives!" the red and black Guyver hissed, furious at Jean selfishness.

"Enough!" Yin shouted, and both the young soldier and Guyver flinched at the volume of authority in his voice. The younger Guyver was in no mood to watch his brother pick a fight with someone he considered an asshole, this was a time for action. "A lot of people have died today, and I intend to stop this before the bodies pile up in the streets! And to do that we need to work together, not squabble amongst ourselves!" The blue and white Guyver's voice beckoned no argument, left no room for complaint. Turning his crimson eyes to the soldiers behind Jean, he questioned loudly "how many of your friends have died today, how many people that you loved have been slain by those monstrosities that walk through your streets?!"

Gentling his voice, he then said "I know you're scared, believe me I do, but sitting around and waiting for death is not going to make things any better! If you die now…then all the people who died today would have died for nothing. Is that what you want, for your comrades' death to be in vain?" He saw the confliction in their eyes, the sudden realisation in their faces showing him that he had struck many bells. Good, he was getting to them. He was waking them up. "If not, then get up!" he ordered sternly. "Stand by me and my brother, take up your blades, and together we can achieve victory!"

That's when Yin saw it: the hope, determination and resolve in their eyes that grew with each clenched fist and set face. They believed they could do it, they believed they could win. Even Jean looked elated with hope. However, that was when Mikasa asked the question that Armin had been dreading: "Wait, where's Eren?"

Everything stopped, and the blonde soldier and blue armoured Guyver stiffened until they were like statues. Yang noticed, and instantly became concerned. So did Mikasa, "Armin? Mina?"

Former said soldier lowered his head slightly, his face becoming stony as he held back a tidal wave of grief and sorrow. Mina gave her comrade a pained look, but found herself unable to look the older girl in the eyes. She too, couldn't bring herself to say it. When neither of them did not speak, Yin said in a soft, pained voice "you're her friend, Armin, you have to tell her."

Mikasa's face paled, until she looked as white as a corpse. Those words, the melancholy that coloured them—no—it couldn't be!

Yang seemed to stop breathing, "Oh no" he thought with dread.

"Mikasa…" Mina started, though was still unsure as to what she could possibly say, "I, that is, Eren…"

She was stopped by Armin, who gave her a certain look with glassy eyes, and she went quiet. Taking a step forward to Mikasa, whose face had lowered until her bangs covered her eyes, he spoke in a strained voice that all the present trainees heard "the cadets of Squad 34: Thomas Wagner, Nac Tias, Myluis Zeramuski…Eren Yeager…these four carried out their mission, and died valiantly in battle." Armin almost puked when he said the last word, there was nothing valiant about the death of his friends. He only said that because it was customary of a trainee.

As quickly as Yin had inspired it, the hope left the others. They were all stunned, shocked and horrified by the death of an entire squad. Many were more surprised by the death of Eren, that hot-headed idealist that always went on about hope and the survival of humanity. Hannah, who had yet to have been told of her friend's fate, begun to cry; and was comforted by her grim faced lover.

"No…" Yang looked to his brother, his voice showing what his face didn't. Horror, sorrow, grief, denial. When Yin didn't respond, didn't raise his downcast head and say something comforting like he used to, something inside Yang cracked and he staggered as if struck. "Oh…oh, fuck, no…!"

As his brother went silent, obviously trying to maintain his composure before the young soldiers and stop the despair from swallowing him whole, Yin listened to the whispers of the trainees, the loss of hope as they quickly assumed that the same fate awaited them. Here, in the horizon of the demolished Trost, the soldiers stood in collective horrified awe; and the hope of the future had all but been shattered by the death of one boy.

Such was the impact Eren Yeager had on them all.

Now the tears came to Armin Arlert, fat salt drops leaking from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. In an almost admiral display of control, the blonde didn't scream of cry out as many had expected. "I'm so sorry Mikasa" gone was the steeliness of his voice, Armin's voice was now a broken whimper, "Eren gave his life to save me and I—I couldn't do anything, I did nothing!" As the blonde broke, Mina eyes welled with tears. She closed the distance between her and him, and brought Armin into an embrace. It was all she could do, words were meaningless.

"Stop it, all of you."

A voice like steel, without a hint of sadness or anguish, made the group of survivors stop. Even the Guyvers, who both treated their sorrow in their own separate ways just like their contrasting nature, were taken aback by the monotone of Mikasa Ackerman's voice. Her face like a rock, void of sadness and the usual emotions that one would show over the death of their sibling, she stated "now isn't the time to get emotional."

She then turned on her heel without another word to any of them and, as she walked past the stunned Brothers, she addressed Marco. She questioned him if they could get past the Titans and replenish their gas, they would be able to scale the wall. When he confirmed that the assessment was true, Yang quickly questioned Mikasa with suspicion "what are you getting at? What are you-"

"I'll go it alone" there was not an ounce of fear in Mikasa voice as she turned to give the red and black warrior a cold, defiant look.

"What?!" was the collective gasp that those present expressed.

She drew a blade, and raised it skyward. Her face firm and unreadable, she declared loudly to them all "I'm strong, real strong, none of you come close. Not even you two, you hear me?!" there was a slight quiver in her voice, a hint of raw agony that the Guyver picked up on. Her next words would have made the Brothers laugh, if the situation wasn't so dire and hanging on a knife's edge, "I am a warrior! Know this: I have the power to slay all the Titans in our path; I can do it even without your help or the assistance of the Guardians. In my eyes, I see only a bunch of useless, cowardly, pathetic worms!"

Rage swarmed the Guyvers chest at her words but they easily contained it, they knew that Mikasa was talking out of her despair. So great was her composure, it seemed, that she could only take out her pain in ways others would view as condescending or down right fury.

Her voice dropping colder and unfeeling, the raven haired woman pointed the blade forwards and stated with pure contempt "you disappoint me." Some of the cadets couldn't help but see staggering similarities between her and a certain famous Captain of the Survey Corps that they looked up to. Her eyes turning to the Guyvers, she then spat with disgust and disappointment "especially you two. You can all stand by, sucking your thumbs, and see how it's done!"

"Stop talking shit!" Yang snarled, his distorted voice raw with emotion, and Mikasa did twitch in what could have been surprise or fear. "You go out there now, if you go it alone, you'll die! You can't do anything without the aid of your comrades, without us!"

Armin found himself widening his eyes over the Guyver's words, amazed that he had the gall to speak against her like that. When it came to confronting an angry Mikasa, fighting Titans was much more easier in comparison. The blonde decided to stay out of this, as did Mina and the others, knowing that he had no place in this argument. And he also didn't want to be dragged into it.

Mikasa glared at the Guardian, unfazed and unwilling to wither under his heartless gaze. What would he know, this creature that could fake human compassion. That could kill without so much as lifting a figure. That made Eren dead set on proving himself to creatures the government denied ever existed, despite the words of those from Shinganshina. "I'm the best there is at what I do, and that's cutting flesh!" Usually, a line like that would have sent people packing and running for the hills.

However, the Guardians seemed far from what one would consider 'normal'. "Oh, I'm so impressed!" Yang spat with heavy sarcasm, and his crimson eyes seemed to glow more intensely than usual. "Your skills won't mean jack shit if you have no one to back you up!"

"I don't need anyone!" Mikasa growled dangerously, yet a flicker of doubt flew through her eyes.

"That's not true" Yin stepped forward gently, his voice soft yet knowing. She couldn't see it, but he was giving her a sympathetic look. The flaw of the Guyver Unit, one could scare people with a metallic vacant face with soulless eyes, but couldn't display their emotions properly due to the lack of features. It really could be an inconvenience at times. "You're suffering, and you want to take your anger out on the world. If you go as you are now, you'll chances of survive are slim to nonexistent" the blue and white Guyver spoke from experience, he had acted the same way few times before.

Face falling impassive, though her eyes filled with anger and sorrow churning together, the raven haired woman stated in a steely voice "If I can't do it, then I'll just die. But if I win, I live." Turning her back to them all, she added "And if I don't fight, I can't win."

"And is that what he would want?" this question from Yin stopped Mikasa from jumping, turning her blood to ice. "Would he have wanted you to go off and pointlessly throw your life away? Is that, was Eren would have wanted?" Many of the soldiers who listen to the exchange of words tensed when Mikasa turned sharply to give the Guyver a livid look, they all knew that those who were grew that look weren't likely to be left standing. But again, the Guyver was unmoved by her look. The makings of a battle were growing, it would be a long and bloody one between a Guardian and the strongest of the cadets of this generation.

The world seemed to still as the two stared at each other, the tension so think in the air that some were sure they could taste it.

Yin knew he was being manipulative, being cruel to use Eren's memory in this fashion but he had no choice. Mikasa was obviously unable to take the pain of losing him, and she was throwing logic out the window so she could release her anger in a way that didn't involve tears. Though, as Yin then thought, tears would be far better than this shit she was pulling. He couldn't let her go like this though, no way in hell, he wasn't going to have her go kill herself in emotional torment. He decided to play one of the many cards he had within his deck. "Think about it, Mikasa, is that really what your brother would have wanted from you?" Screw formality, this was serious. And serious times called for serious measures.

The woman turned away from those empty eyes that seemed to turn judgmental, her mind in turmoil. Why should she even listen to this, she wondered, her reason for living was gone! So why—why did the Guyver's words hit something within her chest? She should ignore them, she knew, she knew that their were dopey face monsters just waiting to taste her and her blades. Her future, her future as Mikasa Ackerman, suddenly lost all the light within it. "Fight!" that word reached her ears, it was a word that had been spoken so long ago. Her body stiffed as the memories danced before her eyes. "Fight!" her first meeting with Eren, when he gave her strength to fight; to stand against the monsters who murdered her parents. The day he and his family took her in when she had nowhere else to go.

Wait—memories, that's it!

Within her, were the memories of Eren before the fall, before the Brothers, before all this shit. If she gave up now, then these memories of Eren Yeager died with her. The young Eren with large emerald eyes, the cute Eren with rough edges, the boy who possessed a tenacious spirit that she had fallen in love with all those years ago. She had to continue, she had to fight and live on. That, she knew without a doubt in her heart, is what Eren would have wanted from her. He would have wanted her to see humanity victorious. And, as she thought about her brother's greatest wish, she knew exactly who to fight with to achieve this.

"Alright" she spoke the word softly, and the wind carried it to the Guyvers. "You're right, I can't go alone. If I do, I'll die a pointless death. And with my death, so do all the memories of Eren. And memories are all I have left now." Quickly wiping her eyes with her arm, Mikasa tuned and fixed the Brothers with a hard look. The rims of her eyes were ever so slightly red. "So I'm putting my trust in you, just like Eren and so many others have. But if any more people die this day, then will be on you."

Blaming someone for the death of others was a powerful thing, especially when those deaths weren't caused by them or their actions. A threat like this usually makes people's resolve weak with guilt, and thus they would be unable to focus on the task at hand. These kinds of threats have been given among soldiers many times, and caused a lot of death because of it. However, the Guardians were unfazed by her threat. They had been given similar warnings many times before. Faces impassive, unaffected by the happenings of the world around them, they both nodded their head to express their understanding.

Armin gaped, dumbfounded beyond belief. He couldn't believe it, the Guardian had actually made Mikasa change her mind! He had done what many considered impossible. That even he couldn't do! Again, that feeling begun to rise in his chest and did his best not to let it show over his face. He really needed to go over his feelings when all this was over. If, it would ever be over, that is.

Seeing no time like the present, Yin turned back to the others, "what I said still stands. If you want to avenge the death of your comrades, if you want to prevent the deaths of those closets to you, then pick up your blades and stand by us. I swear on my pride as a warrior, that me and my brother will lead you all to victory."

The silence stood, and one by one the trainees realised that the Guardians were waiting for their response. Waiting to see if they had what it took. Among them, Jean found himself smiling a slightly bitter smile. He found himself believing the promise Yin had stated, finding no reason to judge the Guyver or question his logic. He found himself hoping, believing that he would see tomorrow. "Damn" adrenaline was coursing through his veins, replacing the despair that had poisoned them earlier, and his heart pumping this new blood faster with every beat. Muscling tensing, the ash brown haired man thought "I blame this on you Eren; I should never have listened to those stories you spat out all the time."

Sparks flew out when Jean drew out two blades, he then turned and addressed the other trainees in the same outraged manner that suicidal bastard always did, "HEY! The White and Black Guardians are asking if where man enough to fight, were we taught to sit down and yet others do our job for us?! If you wanna make humanity look bad, then you better stay outta our way!" He gave the Brothers a smug smirk, determination blazing in his sharp eyes, and vowed "I'm not giving up, no way in hell."

The Guyver were both surprised and amused by this sudden proclamation, where did this one's balls suddenly come from?

Connie grinned ecstatically, his eyes dancing, "finally we're getting somewhere!"

Reiner grinned himself, and only his two companions knew it was false. "I can't have that" he said, honestly worried about losing his image, and Bertholdt and Annie both followed as he started stepping towards the Brothers.

Yang tuned towards Armin, Mina, Franz and Hannah; his heart stopping gaze delivering a silent message. They understood it immediately, and all nodded with determination.

All the other trainees were trembling with anticipation, all of them believing without doubt that they would survive. Never had the thought of battle been more exciting than it was there and then. Sharing a nod with his brother, Yang roared in a voice that rivaled that of a Titan "NOW LET'S BRING 'EM HELL!"

The world was filled with the cries of determination that left every trainees mouth, their resolve refilled to maximum, the roars shaking the foundation of the tiles they stood upon. There was no fear in them, no black thought to plague their minds. They were going to win; they were going to see tomorrow and their families. And most importantly, they were going to prove themselves to the Guardians. Blades drawn and faces set, they charged off the roof as they followed the Brothers into battle and victory.

The first Titan they came across had its entire head and neck area blown asunder by Yin, an explosion of blood and gore that quickly rained down to the earth below. The cadets briefly admired the scene before they continued following the armoured beings. "Let's make this a short and decisive battle!" Jean cried out, his voice reaching the cadets behind him and the Guyvers before him. "Save as much gas as you can!"

"What he said!" Yin concurred loudly, seeing no flaw in the young soldier's words and advice. He found himself getting more and more impressed with the man's resolve.

"Leave all the Titans to us; focus on getting to your HQ!" Yang added, and he quickly shot a ball of red energy from his hands and sent it flying to another Titan's legs. It collapsed to the ground with a roar of pain, and the trainees flew over its withering body. Each felt a surge of joy at the sight of the downed monster.

Another Titan came into view, but Mikasa flew forward before the Brothers could plan their move. "This one's mine!" she shouted, and with a slash of her blades the Titan perished. She was in control of herself again, but was still seething with anger and the desire for revenge. The Guardians made no protests to her action.

When they landed onto the top of the buildings around them, the cadets immediately followed their actions. By running they would save gas, and thus use it only when the gap between buildings was too great. This wasn't a problem for the Brothers though, as they easily jumped the gap with inhuman ease. The trainees couldn't help but feel slight jealousy over the Guardians' abilities. Then, Yin's sharp eyes caught something, and he stopped abruptly and threw out an arm as he roared in his distorted voice "WAIT!" Everything came to a stand still, and the cadets waited anxiously for the Guardians' next words.

Yang saw what his brother had stopped them for, a soldier. His cables were stabbed into a building, yet he was out of gas as the container for it spluttered out what was left. His face was shrouded with panic, and it didn't take a genius to know why. Yin quickly looked left to right and saw that Titans of different sizes were converging on the man, their intent obvious, and looking back up at the HQ he saw that it was only three or four blocks away. Looking to his brother, he made his choice. "Yang, get these lot to their head quarters. And for God's sakes," he grabbed his brother by the arms and shook him once "don't you dare cock things up!"

"What are you doing?" Yang shrugged his brother off him and asked the question when his brother moved his tiptoes to the edge.

"I'm gonna save those who are grounded" Yin shot off the ground once he made that proclamation, his body spinning in midair before he was covered in blue light. Only Yang didn't look away from the near blinding light. When it faded, a fifteen meter tall Yin stood before them all. Turning his now giant head towards the group of cadets and his brother, he spoke in a booming metallic voice "go now."

Yang didn't need to be told twice, "LET'S GO!" he bellowed, and he jumped the distance between buildings with ease. The others followed the red and black Guyver immediately, without question. They moved as one, a wave of flesh that left the earth bellow inked black in their shadows.

When the last soldier past, Yin turned his burning gaze to the Titans. Two were about fourteen meters high, with the rest being around the five to eight meter range. The soldier stared up at his towering form with desperation, and Yin answered a second after he brought his foot down on the first Titan that came at him. He grimaced under his armour at the mess that covered his foot after.

Swiping his arm to the side, Yang sent out a cloud of rocks and debris that washed over the next Titan that crossed his path, slashing the monster to bits. Dead or not, he and the trainees continued onwards. The cadets' HQ was in sight, and the distance between them and it was diminishing by the second. The to-be-soldiers were starting to run on fumes, and the road before them was littered with Titans. Yang cursed, these bastards' large bodies were going to get these runts! This called for drastic measures.

Making his body straight like a board and pulling his arms over his chest, Yang's entire body sprouted blade like spikes like a porcupine and he begun spinning clockwise at incredible speeds that would kill any normal person. The wind around him screamed in high pitched wails as his body cut through their waves, but it was drowned out when he slammed into a black haired Titan. It blew apart with a loud sickening tearing sound, splattering into a wide ring that covered the buildings in red. The Guyver didn't stop, showed absolutely no mercy, as he continued to mow his way through the monsters that made plagued this world for so many years.

Each and every Titan became but a gory rain and bloody bits, none of them standing a chance. Each cadet was amazed by the bloody display, and some of them shouted out mocking jeers at the Titans as what was left of them rained on the ground bellow. As well as on them, yet they felt it was a baptize that made them into proper soldiers. And warriors.

The screaming of the wind stopped when Yang stretched all his limbs, and then the world heard a new sound: a window shattering. Yang's armoured heels carved deep wounds into the wooden floor of the room he entered in an effort to stop himself for moving. The sound was echoed as the rest of the cadets, some clean some covered in dissolving Titan blood, came through the other windows that they could see. Some were able to land solidly on there feet, others tumbled and rolled across the floor before stopping. They now stood in what seemed like an abandoned office of their Head Quarters, and it soon became a bit crowded as the young people kept coming in.

All of them had made it; there was not a single casualty.

Jean, who quickly wiped the seam out of his eyes and got over the fact that they had survived, turned to the Guyver and took in his appearance. His body, armour and all, was covered in a cloud. It was the best way to describe him as he stood patiently, his form a black silhouette, as if he hadn't just preformed the most incredibly thing Jean had ever seen in his life.

Mikasa, too, found herself amazed that they had all survived. She hadn't expected the Guardians to take her threat so seriously, but Yang there had taken her thoughts, crumbled them onto a big ball and threw them through a window. Everyone lived, just this once, everybody lived! She felt a pang of guilt enter her heart, perhaps she should have given the Guyver a bit more fate.

However, her thoughts were cut off when a sudden scream filled the air. Quickly finding its origin, she saw Jean and some other soldiers attacking what appeared to be a member of the supply squad. She sprinted towards them, possessed by the force that always compelled her to act in times of crisis, grabbing the attacked boy and pulling him free of the mob. "Stop it!" she screamed, and Jean and the other immediately came to a stand still.

The former's face, she noted, was a mask of fury.

"It's their fault!" he screamed accusingly, glowering at the male soldier who cowered behind her. He wouldn't dare make a move though; next to the Guyver, Mikasa was the most terrifying thing in the room. That wouldn't stop him from expressing his anger though. "They left us in the lurch, they abandoned us to death! So many could have died because of these chicken shits!"

"Big talk, coming from the guy who was willing to let people die for his own life" all eyes turned to Yang, his body clear of the blood of his victims. Arms crossed and chin held high, his searing gaze gave off the feeling of casual confidence. Truthfully, he didn't give a damn what this lot did to each other. They were safe, they could do what they had to, and that was all that mattered. From here on, they were on their own, with him observing from a distance. He found them interesting, and couldn't help but admire their courage. However, he wasn't about to let them go off and fight amongst each other. That, and he couldn't let such disgusting hypocrisy fly about.

Jean stared at the Guyver in outrage and, before he could say anything, Armin chimed in "Jean, they were scared, we all were! We would have acted the same way, were we in their position."

Mina piped with agreement, "he's right, you can't deny it."

The light ash haired boy clenched his jaw tightly, his eyes flashing, looking ready to go off into another fit of rage. Marco and Armin could calm him down with logic and words, whilst Mikasa and Yang would scare him with mere looks alone. However, his look morphed into confusion and surprise when Bertholdt suddenly screamed "LOOK OUT!"

KA-WHOOM! The wall suddenly exploded inwards, and many of the cadets by it went flying until they slammed into the other end of the room and slide down the walls before becoming still. Many fell to their asses as the air kicked them off their feet, but few stayed standing. These included Mikasa and Yang, though the latter made no sound or gesture of surprise. The face of a Titan stared emptily at them, making the other cadets scream and run. Yang quickly made the assumption that due to all the trainees being here, the Titans could smell it and the smell of humanity brought them all to the building. The Guyver clenched his fist, the Control Metal upon his forehead shining, his energy spiking and rolling over his form in waves of electricity. His fist opened, and balls of red energy hovered above them. These alone could blow the Titans' eyes to hell.

However, they were quickly proven unneeded.

A blue foot slammed into the side of the Titan's head, crushing the flesh and bone beneath it and seemed to make that side of the face collapse inwards. The sound of metal on flesh was a defending bang, and every window that had not been damaged quickly shattered into little fragments of glass. The Titan flew away, crashing into the cobblestone floor outside along with the others.

Yin's giant frame stood before the HQ, as clean as he was before and without a sign of exhaustion or pain on his countenance. Moving his arms forward, the cadets and his brother noticed that his hands were cupped together and closed around something. Moving them to the opening the Titan had made, he removed one hand and revealed the trainees he had saved. Those who knew them quickly made their way to them, getting them into the sanctuary that was the Head Quarters. They described the strange sensation they felt whilst in the Guyver's hands, how the world moved around them yet they remained completely stationary. Gravity manipulation, that's what Yin used, Yang quickly realized.

Turning his gaze to his giant brother, he picked up on the silent question that passed through them: "Are you gonna give me a hand?" It was a question the blue and white Guyver already knew the answer to, but asked none the less. Yang nodded his answer, and tuned to address the trainees, "Me and Yin will take care of the Titans outside, the ones down below we'll leave to you."

"Down below?" Connie echoed, not liking the sound of that.

The red and black Guyver pointed downwards, "There are Titan's swarming through the lower levels, where I presume you keep your gas. Whilst we take care of the bigger ones outside, you lot take care of the ones inside."

Simply put without sugar coating it, Armin quickly understood that the Guardians were leaving the situation in their hands. He wondered if it was because they trusted them with the task, or because they were simply through looking after them. Whatever the reason was, Armin took it upon himself to nod his comprehension and said with confidence "we'll take care of it, good luck."

Luck? Yang scoffed mentally, like he or his little brother would need luck on their side. They hadn't needed it since they acquired their armour, nor before that, and they certainly wouldn't need it now. Nodding silently, the older Guyver shot himself forward and out through the gaping wound of the HQ. After enveloping himself in blood red light, he stood at the same towering height of Yin. Back to back, their heartless gaze glared towards their enemies. The Titans were all around them, all different sizes, all looking like predators ready to fight other predators of different species.

It made the brothers think of different lion packs fighting over territory, how they would battle each other to the death for things humans would consider so trivial. However, they were predators. The ones at the top of the food chain, the apex predators. There was nothing that could challenge them, nothing that could threaten them, nothing that could kill them. In this world, they were the ultimate warriors.

Glancing at each other, they nodded luck to the other and covered themselves in their signature auras of blue and red. Yin's wrist sprouted blades, and Yang's hands became sets of knifes. Both then glowed brightly with power. Adrenaline bursting through their muscles, they bounded towards their foes with mightily war cries. The cobblestone beneath them broke away as they shot off the ground, opening large trenches and kicking up large clouds of dust. Their hearts like balls of molten lead in their chests, they flew forward with their fury feeding them the insatiable need to destroy the monsters before them. Just as they promised to do, five years ago.

After all, the Yin Yang Brothers were renowned for keeping their promises. That, and eradicating monsters and scum.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Within the Trainee's Headquarters

The cries of the Brothers were not lost on the cadets, who felt the vibrations shake the ground beneath their feet as they descended to the Titan infested gas chamber. Those who saw the dust fall from the ceiling were afraid that the roof would crash down upon them, with some thinking that would be a far better fate than being devoured. Though, they quickly reminded themselves that the Guardians promised them victory, and thus calmed themselves.

Mikasa found herself unsurprised that those who didn't believe in the Guyver suddenly placed their complete and utter faith in them. She had seen it before, back when she was young. Back when everything changed.

After the townspeople of Shinganshina had reached Trost, everyone went on about the incredible Yin and Yang and their god like power that destroyed Titans like they were nothing. The military didn't believe the people at first, believing that the experience of a breach had left them shaken and disorientated, but they quickly changed their minds when those of the Garrison regiment from Shinganshina confirmed these statements. Mr Hannes, who had the closest encounter with the Brothers, gave the most information.

When resources to support the survivors and the rest of the town begun to diminish, the king ordered the citizens of Shinganshina to be exterminated like rats; all for the reason to keep the supply of resources falling. Getting food and crops had become much harder to obtain, considering that a good portion of their land was now uninhabitable. However, the people of Shinganshina fought back against the military, and riots broke out as the people thought for their survival. The Guyvers had given more than hope; they had given the people courage. After nearly a month of fighting amongst themselves, the king allowed what was left of Shinganshina's residents to life within the territories of Wall Rose and Shina. The death toll was great by then though, and among the dead was Armin's dear grandfather. Among the survivors was Carla Yeager, something Eren thanked the Guyvers like they were indeed gods. Mikasa was greatly thankful for this as well, but did not praise the Guardians like her brother did.

Mikasa felt a pang of pain in her chest at the thought of her now departed brother, but she smothered the feeling under her newly constructed walls. She chided herself. Eren was dead, he died saving Armin, and there was nothing she could do about. The thought made her feel numb, she could feel her heart settling into her stomach, and Mikasa idly wondered if she would ever get close to another again.

Shaking her head, she pushed the needless thoughts aside and focused at the task at hand: Taking out the Titans in the gas chamber.

Armin had come up with a plan to destroy the Titans in a way that, he claimed with absolute, would cause fewer casualties. After obtaining a detailed map of the supply room's interior, the blonde's strategy was that what was left of the top ten were to stand on the support beams while the rest of the trainees (including himself and Marco) distracted the Titans. How would they do this? By standing together in the lift that took them to the centre of the room and by using the rifles that were kept in storage. Armin explained that while these weapons would never be able to kill a Titan, they certainly would be able to blind them. And, if those firing did it all at once, they'd stay blind long enough for the others to take them out. Those who were skeptic quickly took faith in the boy's plan.

It didn't escape Mikasa that there was a glimmer in her blonde friend's eyes, something she had never seen before. He was determined, unwavering to be put off or to falter by any of them. Though Mikasa was glad to see Armin have confidence in himself for once, especially when she and the others needed him the most, she couldn't help but be slightly worried. To her, it seemed as if he too was trying to prove himself to the Guyvers, but there was something else. Something in his eyes that was dark and honestly frightening, something akin to defiance. The raven haired girl left it alone though, as she was certain that she'd find the answer out sooner or later.

The lift lowered into the supply chamber, with Armin and the other cadets holding the standard rifles, until it stopped at what the blonde was sure was the monsters' eye level. From the darkness they came, drawn by the smell of humanity, Titans of the five meter range slowly moving towards the trainees. Each had its own horrible face, from twisted smiles to empty eyes without a whit of emotion; each looked ready and eager for a meal.

Mikasa prepared herself, tensing her muscles and clenching her handles tightly. She could her Marco telling the others to hold fire, waiting for the right moment. Then, "FIRE!" Marco roared; the sound bouncing off the empty walls of the gas chamber. The cadets pulled the triggers, the act colouring the chamber orange and yellow, turning the Titan's eyes into mush and splattering blood into the air.

Mikasa flew off the beam, her blade tasting flesh and blood.

It felt good.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SLASH! "Five years." The head of a Titan flew off into the distance, followed by a trail of blood.

STOMP! "I know." A smaller Titan was crushed beneath a blue armoured foot, kicking up dust and leaving a blood splatter.

"But five years!" A red fist slammed into the face of another, taller Titan; sending it onto its ass.

CRACK! "I know." As the slightly irk reply was given, Yin snapped the neck of a fifthteen meter until its whole face was facing backwards. To his surprise and pleasure, it collapsed and stayed down as it disintegrated.

"I thought his attack would take us home!"

"I fucking know!"

"Then why didn't it?!"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Everything became still for a moment as the two brother glared at each other. With this brief chance to finally talk about their situation, neither Yin nor Yang held back their displeasure of the facts. The sad, horrible truth still laid before them: they were trapped. Trapped on this hellish world, occupied by primitive humans without electricity or modern technology, and horrible giants that craved human flesh. This world, they both thought, was hell. Though they then thought it was what they deserved; after everything they had done, the brothers found this world a suitable final destination. They had been shoved head first onto hell, and were now fighting to save the souls trapped in it by killing off the demons.

Yin sighed heavily as the anger and tension left him, his shoulders sagging. He'd never admit it, but arguing with his brother just so he could shout always did make him feel better. The white Guyver had been tense because he was lacking control, he couldn't get a handle on the situation. And he didn't like that, not one bloody bit. "Brother, I honestly don't know what you expect me to say or do" right after he said this, Yin snapped his right elbow back and a blade shot from it. It slashed the top head of a Titan that was coming up behind, and blood slowly leaked down the monster's expressionless face.

Yang didn't respond, he wasn't sure what to say either if even his brother lack words. He then preformed a similar action, snapping back his elbow and sending it into the solar plexus of a Titan behind him. The beast lurched forward at the attack, and was then sent tumbling back into a building behind it when the back of Yang's fist slammed into its face.

Yin sharply turned on his heel and raised his left arm, his hand pointing skywards. He then brought it down like an axe, and it sliced through the Titan from the top of its head to its crouch. Blood sprayed out of the two halves and over the HQ besides him, which quickly begun to fade away, and dripped onto his stark white muscles. The halves fell to the ground with lifeless thuds and quickly begun to disintegrate. His foe dead, Yin quickly observed his surroundings. More Titans were converging on them from all around, filling the streets and the air with their thumping footsteps; most likely having been attracted by the sound of the battle than the smell of food.

The blue and white Guyver idly wonder if these creatures valued the lives of their kin, or if the mere thought of a meal was all that drive them to act. Regardless of it was human or not. What empty lives they lived, he then thought, it was enough to almost make the warrior feel pity for the monsters. Almost.

"Yin, mind your back!" Yang's cry brought the younger Guyver back to reality. Turning, he was face to face with the open mouth of a bald Titan. It lunged towards him, and where he out of his armour his face could easily be ripped off.

However, it never met its mark.

Something rushed past Yin's head, he felt it move through the air like a knife, and slammed right into the Titan's face with brutal force. The whole upper part of its head was blown clean off, sending an explosion of blood and gore into the air, and the rest of it was sent flying back. It happen so face that the White Guardian was sure his heart had skipped a few beats, and he felt his body tremble with the shock. Turning his head slowly, Yin observed his saviour.

It was not his brother, to his amazement, it was a Titan!

It stood at the same height as he and Yang and, compared to the majority of other Titans, its form was well-proportioned and much more physically fit, sporting well-defined lean muscle in contrast of the more common potbellied or emaciated bodies of the others they had encountered thus far. Its face was very different as well. The facial features brought to mind a goblin, what with its hooked nose and pointy ears. Its hair was the colour brown and was long enough to graze its shoulders, the bangs falling over its eyes. The mouth was a hideous thing, lacking lips and all the skin around the cheeks, exposing the animalistic teeth for all to see. With its jagged, unusual shape, there was no way it could speak.

The Titan gave a sound that was both a growl and a sigh. Yin watched, transfixed, as the unusual Titan snapped its head upwards and roared to the heavens. A roar so bloodthirsty, so furious, so monstrous that it nearly rivalled the war cries of the brothers. It was enough to make Yin flinch and get into a battle stance, but the Titan stomped forward and seemingly ignored the Guyver completely. It then began crushing what was left of the other Titans head beneath its bare foot, sending tidal waves of blood over the cobblestone ground.

The Yin Yang Brothers could only look on in silent fascination and the slightest trepidation as they observed the violent, messy dispatch of the bald bastard. The unthinkable had come to pass: a Titan had just killed one of its own.

The hooked nosed Titan turned to face the Guardians, and now both brothers could see its eyes. They were deeply sunken into their sockets and, at a closer inspection; they were an emerald green in colour. The eyes are what shocked the brothers the most; they were filled with nothing but rage. Pure, hateful, fiery rage. They shined with intelligence and a purpose that no other Titan possessed; they were the eyes of a creature that had a reason to live. It was undeniable; this creature was far more than just another Titan.

The Titan then roared and charged, rushing past Yin and heading towards Yang. The red and black Guyver tensed, ready to take whatever this new kind of Titan was able to give; but he then gasped with surprise. The lipless Titan slammed its palm over the head of a twelve meter Titan that was sneaking behind Yang, making the composed air pop loudly around them. The Titan roared with newer, greater fury than before, and pulled its prey forward so roughly one would have thought it was trying to rip its head off. The nape of its neck was fully exposed, and the emerald eyed Titan quickly bit into it. Its sharp teeth ripped the flesh clean from its captive, and said captive instantly died. Dropping the disintegrating corpse and spitting out the slab of meat in its mouth, the Titan roared its victory to the sky; the sound carried by the wind and over the whole of Trost.

Both brothers saw what just happened, but couldn't believe it: this Titan had just saved Yang. Just as it had saved Yin. One thought was shared by both brothers as more Titan converged on them and their new ally: "What the hell is this thing?!"

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inside the Supply Room

The deed was done with marvellous results. The Titans had all be taken out with swiftness than to the work (of what was left) of the top ten. Aside from Sasha nearly getting eaten and being saved by Annie, everyone was alright. Now the cadets took their time as they replenished their gas, confident that the Guardians would take care of the Titans outside. The sounds above, of crashing and rumbling, were proof that they were right.

Jean and Marco sat together as they refilled their tanks, a comfortable silence blanketing them. Well, comfortable for Marco. A shadow of sadness was over Jean's face, and the glare in his eyes showed that he was obviously fighting a battle within himself. Marco noticed, he always did when it came to his friends, and broke the silence with a roll of his eyes "okay, what's the matter Jean?"

Said soldier flinched, taken off guard by the sudden question. His eyes briefly darted to his friend before he looked away, he grimaced, "Nothing's wrong."

Marco frowned; there was worry in his amber eyes. "You haven't said much since the Guardians left us to take care of the bigger Titans outside. I would have expected you to be red in the face by now as you go on about how we need to leave, or how we took care of this Titan's so well."

Jean lips curled, never was he the kind of man who liked to express any kind of weakness before those who mattered to him. While he did express himself to Marco, someone who he found he could drop the strong man act if only a bit, he still withdrew himself. Marco waited, patiently as always, as he waited for his friend to speak. Finally, Jean did, "You once said I had great leader skills. Well, after today, I think it's safe to say that I don't have what it take to lead anyone. I'd thank you to not say so in the future."

Understanding dawned on Marco, Jean felt dishearten and ashamed because of his weakness. He believed that, in the presence of the Guardians, he was as weak as all the others. Perhaps he was concerned with his image, and with how the warriors would see him. "Jean…" Marco began hesitantly, making sure to pick his words carefully, "you're not a strong person. But that isn't a bad thing, it helps you relate to the weak. The same goes with the Guardians, they were able to relate to us and our fears, and that helped them encourage us to fight. Even with all their power, they placed us before them. They understood us."

Jean sighed and placed a hand on his forehead, silently acknowledging his friend's meaning. There was a difference between understanding a person and understanding the properties of their hearts. It was something Jean lacked, something he knew but had never tried to develop. It was something the Brothers had in abundance, their eyes looked into the human soul like it was a window and it gave them the way to persuade many. His voice dropping lower, he stated "and they knew exactly what to do because of that. They took command and led us to HQ, without a single death! If I were in their position, I bet I'd of walked over many of our comrades' corpses to get here."

Marco couldn't deny that, though he offered his friend some helping words, "you shouldn't compare yourself to them; or think about the coulda-woulda possibilities. What happened happened, and that's the end of it. You should…just be glad that you're here, alive and well. Pride isn't worth your life, Jean." The ash haired man said nothing to his friend's words as he disconnected his gas container with a low metallic noise.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the moment, there were no other Titans about.

With the exception of the lipless one, who stood panting from the slaughter it and the Brothers had done. The disintegrating corpses laid all around them, making the area look as though it was ensnared in a deep fog. So thick was it, that the Guyvers couldn't see the buildings or the wall. The Brothers were tense, waiting for whatever move the goblin ear Titan would give as it stood a short distance before them. The creature had not done anything to harm them, it had only focused on its own kind; killing them with the brutality of a wild animal. It had also give off this air of protectiveness, roaring and attacking any Titan that nearly got the jump on either of the Guyvers; something neither brother could understand.

When the Titan regained its breath, it stood straight and stared directly at the Guardians; its stern eyes softening somewhat. The emotionless, crimson eyes of the brother betrayed the suspicion they felt as the Titan slowly stepped towards them; something akin to hesitation shined in its emerald orbs. Finally, when it came into striking distance, it stopped and bowed its head in what appeared to be an act of submission.

To say that the Guyvers were surprised would have been the understatement of the century. For such a ferocious looking creature, the act it had just preformed really didn't suit it. But the Titan just stood, looking at the warriors through its brown bangs, waiting for something. Then, when the stillness of the world dragged on for a few extra seconds, Yin had an idea. A very crazy, mad idea. Cautiously, he lifted a hand—and placed it upon the Titan's head.

Yang's eyes bulged underneath his armour, "Yin, what the hell are you doing?!"

"Just watch" Yin responded quickly, and he then proceeded to rub his armoured hand over the Titan's scalp gently. The Titan purred, it purred. It closed its eyes in content, and gave deep sounds from the back of its throat; sounds like that a dog or a cat would give off when being petted or stroked by their master.

Yang now gaped, utterly dumbfounded. "No way" he breathed, and a few seconds later he yelled "no fucking way…!"

While Yang kept his hands to himself, due to being still weary of the unusual Titan, Yin continued to stroke the Titan. He was fascinated, truly fascinated. This creature had not only gone against its own kind, protected them when they least expected and keep its fang away from the humans; it also seemed quite—fond of them. And, as Yin's crimson orbs gazed into the Titan's emerald ones, he could honestly say-

Wait—emerald?

Emerald green eyes?

The younger Guyver's blood turned to ice in his veins, his breath becoming caught in his throat as a thought entered his mind. A horrible, really fucked up, thought. "But it can't be!" Yin couldn't believe it thought, couldn't believe that those eyes that stared at him affectionately were his. How did he not notice that in the first place?! "That's not possible!"

Suddenly, the Titan roared in shock and roughly shoved Yin aside. So preoccupied where the Guyvers, that they made completely missed the sound of the Titans feet stomping behind them. The new Titans, a pack of five that ranged from 13 to 14 meters high, attacked the pointy eared Titan and pushed it to the ground. When Yin got to his feet, with support from Yang, they both watch with horror as the other Titans begun to rip chunks of flesh off their captive; whom growled with admirable defiance.

Yang yelled with surprise as he was grabbed and harshly thrown backwards, his head smashing through stone and wood. A 15 meter, lean but not as muscular as the green eye Titan, grabbed his head and begun to pound it against the cobblestone ground. After his armoured covered skill struck the ground four times, he grabbed the Titan's wrists and rolled them both over. With him now above the monster, he quickly began punching the beast's face in.

While he and his brother could have killed the Titans with more powerful attacks, they both decided not to and use their brute strength against the abominations. They had two reasons for this. 1) Their greater attacks could cause tremendous damage and take many human lives. And 2) it was simply more enjoyable to kill the Titans with their physical strength alone. They enjoyed fighting, it was as simple as that. Both brothers got thrills out of battling, of killing their opponent slowly and enjoying their suffering. They were both sadists, in that sense, and proud of it.

Knowing that his brother was in no real danger, Yin quickly made a move to the downed Titan and stabbed two of the bigger Titans that were tearing away at its stomach through the naps of their necks. Before he could dispose of another, something moved out of the corner of his eyes. He turned to see it fully, but found he was too late to take action. The creature crashed onto him but failed in making him fall.

Grabbing it by the chest and pulling it away, he saw that it was another Titan. This one was emaciated like the many others of its kind, roughly about twelve in height, its arms so thin one would think they would snap under the lightest pressure. Its cheeks were hallowed and its eyes were empty, yet it still had the knowledge to know that the Guyver was its enemy. Pushing the thin waist creature off him, Yin was greatly taken aback when the Titan bounced towards him when its feet touched the ground. Without thinking, Yin extending his right hand to defend himself and Titan opened its maw wide.

Four of Yin's fingers were stuffed into the Titan's jaw, and it bite down hard. Its teeth cut easily into the soft flesh of his palm, drawing blood.

Yin screamed as the pain flooded his senses at it stabbed up the length of his arm and into his brain, how long had it been since he felt this sensation? Without thinking, he tried to yank his arm out of the bastard's mouth and only succeeded in causing himself more pain. His attacker shot out its foot and caught the Guyver's knee, sending him stomach first to the ground and kicking up dust. The Titan released his bleeding hand and quickly continued is attack, pulling Yin back by his horn and biting into the exposed flesh of the Guyver's collar and shaking its head in an attempt to rip off the flesh. When the younger Guyver shouted in pain, Yang looked up from his now dead victim and screamed in terror "BROTHER!"

However, he never made a move; he didn't have the chance.

The emerald eye Titan bellowed with pure, bloodthirsty rage when it saw Yin. It shot to its feet, pushing aside its attackers and charging towards the blue and white Guyver's attacker. Its stomach had been ripped open and the chest had chunks of skin ripped off, its intestines were dangling out of the wound in its abdomen and where spilling blood everywhere as it ran forwards. It grabbed the attacker by one of its arms and lifted it upwards when it grabbed one of its legs, before bringing its back do upon its knee. A loud crack filled the air. The broken Titan, still alive but unable to move, dangled in the injured Titan's hands. The Titan expression clenched with rage and defiance as it tried to stay conscious, it knew the end was getting closer and closer by the second as its blood poured down its legs. Knowing this, it decided to take these fuckers with it. Holding the now paralysed Titan by the legs, the dying Titan swung it like an axe at the Titans behind it. It decimated two of them, breaking their bones and sending them to the grounds in heaps, before throwing it at the last one; which sent the two of them into a building with a loud crash and splatters of blood.

The Titan roared its victory into the sky and, as it turned to the bleeding Yin, its eyes rolled into its head and it collapsed face first into the ground.

"Yin!" the red and black Guyver quickly bounded to his brother's side, pulling one of his arms around his shoulder as he helped him to his feet. He saw the injuries, the torn flesh of his right palm and the deep teeth marks in the left side of his collar, and felt his heart constrict with both brotherly worry and unrivalled fury.

"I'm okay" Yin insisted through gritted teeth, hissing as the pain from his collar and palm burned into him like hot iron. It truly had been too long since he had felt such pain, but in a way it relieved him. It reminded the young Guyver that, at the end of the day, he was still a mortal. A very hard to kill mortal, but one none the less.

Calming down a bit, Yang looked down at the corpse of their brief but powerful ally. Its corpse being to release steam, the first signs of its disintegration. "Well that's that then" he muttered, not feeling a whit of sympathy for the creature. Ally or not, the creature was still a Titan. And its entire species had fallen onto his hit list. Looking to his brother, whose wounds he noticed were beginning to heal, he grunted "the bastard's done, we should focus on making sure the others get over wall and-"

"Mother of Jesus!" Yang was abruptly cut off by that astounded utterance from his little brother, whose gaze remained locked onto the dead Titan before. Following the gaze, Yang saw what astounded his brother so.

It was coming out the Titan's neck, small shape. A human shape. It was pulling itself free from the muscles of the Titan, which seemed to have been fused with the person's face. The blue and white Guardian stepped forward and reached down with his left hand, gently grasping the human and pulling them free from the remaining flesh that clung to him. Laying the person in his palm, he brought it up to eye level and moved his fingers. He found himself unsurprised and hardly reacted when he recognised the person laying in it, once again, his assumptions had been proven correct.

Yang, however, did react with a mere. "Ho-ley SHIT!"

Laying in Guyver Yin's palm, dressed in a soldier's uniform but lacking the jacket and with one of his sleeves torn, was a seventeen year old Eren Yeager.

Yin took back what he had early thought about this world as a whole. It wasn't nearly as mad as his own world, this world was pure and utter barmy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Duh-duh-duuuuuuuuuh!
> 
> I really haven't much else to say, except tell me what you think and look forward to the next chapter!
> 
> Stay tuned!


	4. Keeping down the Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little fact to let you know: I use elements from both the manga and the anime of Attack on Titan; but mainly the manga. It may explain why some scenes aren't as extravagant as the anime.
> 
> With that said, please enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer- I don't own Attack on Titan, it all belongs to Kodansha. I also don't own Guyver, it all belongs to Kadokawa Shoten. I only own my OCs.

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown" H.P. Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'll kill them."

It was one of the few thoughts that ran through his mind, the only thing that fuelled him and helped ignore the pain.

"I'll kill them all."

They were thought with an eerie calmness, as if talk of mass slaughter was a normal thing. He was looking through someone's, something's, eyes; he knew because the world looked so small.

"Every last one."

It was his drive, his motive, his purpose. It was a façade to his true motive. His whole being existed to prove himself, to them.

"I will prove to you both, that I can fight. That I am not weak."

He was fighting alongside them, helping the Brothers in the slaughter, his greatest dream finally realised. Whatever this power was, whatever was happening, he prayed that it would never stop. But then the world went black, and he screamed for it to return. For them to return.

"I will prove myself, I WILL!"

"Please...come back..."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"…en! Eren!"

A voice.

"Eren!"

A voice was calling him, through the darkness. It sounded afraid, panicking.

"Eren, please, wake up!"

He knew the owner of the voice, but it was escaping him in that moment. Another voice, a woman's voice, then spoke up and a brief squabble ensured:

"Armin, hit him!"

"What?! I can't do that, he's-"

"Just do it!"

SLAP! The sound resonating in his ears, and a sharp stinging sensation on right cheek, Eren Yeager lurched to setting position along with a startled "what the fuck?!"

The sight that befell the young adult was not what he was expecting at all.

To his right was Armin, whom was significantly pale and sweating bullets. What looked like great fear was gleaming in his sky blue eyes, but fear of what? Before them was Mikasa, standing straight with two blades out and glaring before her. When Eren looked pasted her, he saw the reason why she was glaring and Armin was so afraid. Soldiers of the Garrison regiment were surrounding them, at least thirty or so of them armed to the teeth with rifles and their 3DM Gear blades. Those who held their blades were clenching the handles so hard that their veins were bulging, as if they were trying to escape the body they helped flow blood around.

Weapons made specifically for killing Titans—aimed at humans.

Armin gave Eren a desperate shake, "Eren, you need to tell them what you know! They're scared, but if you explain then they'll understand!"

Eren didn't look at Armin when he spoke, it wouldn't of made much difference if he had anyway, his emerald green eyes remained locked on the men and women around them. Being pushed into this perplexing situation with no foreknowledge certainly wasn't helpful. What stood out to the boy was their faces. The look in their eyes, the utter loathing and indescribable fear—if was like, they were looking at a monster. A Titan. "What the hell is happening?" he wondered, and he moved his left arm to grab Armin to support himself. He froze though, when he saw that said arm was bare; the sleeve was missing right up to his elbow. What-

"Wait." It struck Eren like lighting, he lost it. He lost his arm whilst saving Armin. "But, that didn't really happen…" the nearly clean torn mark of where the sleeve ended begged to differ. A gust of air ran over him, and he felt a chill on his left leg. He quickly realised that he was missing the clothing on that leg, and remembered that he had lost that leg when he was after the bastard that killed Thomas. He could remember the pain he felt from both times, and how he overlapped the feeling with his fury. The giant teeth severing his arm and leg so quickly it was almost merciful.

"TRAINEE YEAGER!" a voice suddenly bellowed, one that was both fearful and hateful all at once, and Eren's eyes immediately homed in on the owner. He instantly recognised the man as Kitz Weilman, a captain of the Garrison. His entire being was dishevelled, obviously from the stress from this dire situation. A shadow of terror was written deeply into his tanned face, his brows drawn into an intense glare, "I'm going to ask you this once and I expect a clear answer: are you a man, or a Titan?!"

Needless to say, the question shook Eren right to his core. Titan? They thought—he was a Titan? Blinking owlishly, the boy looked to Armin for help, for anything! The blonde offered him nothing; he only gave his friend a fearful look. Mikasa gave him no help either, she just kept her dark, challenging glare set on the soldiers before them. He recognised the look, the one that promised death and great pain, and immediately realised that this was going to get far worse before it got better.

He had to stop this, now!

"I'm sorry sir, but I don't understand the question!" he shouts to the captain, glad that his voice shows no fear what so ever. To Titan or a person of the military, he would so no fear.

Kitz's face darkened considerably, his lips pulling back to revel his gritted teeth, and he snarled "are you telling me that you can't transform into a Titan?!"

"I said I don't understand!" Eren snapped back, uncaring that he was being disrespectful. He had given his answer, so why was the Garrison captain still beating around the bush?

"Don't piss me off Yeager, or I swear to God that I'll blow you to the Hell you and your kind crawled out of!" spittle flew from the man's lips as he said, or rather screamed, those words. "We all saw it, you were extracted from a Titan carcass! For all we know there are others like you, entering Wall Rose as we speak I the guise of a human! Trainees or not, I have every right to eliminate you should you be proven a threat to humanity!" Eren quickly looked around, finally taking in his surroundings. They were not in Trost, that much was certain by the lack of destruction all around them, they had to of been on the other side in the small town which name escaped him. The shadow of the wall covered them, blanketing them in cooling darkness, and looking up he was horrified to see that cannons were aimed at him.

No, at them.

Eren wasn't the only one at stake, if he did anything wrong, then Armin and Mikasa would be killed. He couldn't allow that, for them to die because of this captain's belief that he was a monster. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if they died because of him, no, he'd never live it down.

Kitz went on, roaring how he believed that Eren was in league with the Armoured Titan and how he might be a decoy for the monster to make a surprise attack. He said it would be for the beneficiation of humanity that he was killed, and that made Eren want to laugh out loud. He noted the short, silver haired woman besides the Garrison captain, who seemed to be giving him some form of advice that would lead to his untimely demise. He thought hard, trying to think and remember anything that he could use in his defence. If what Kitz was saying was true, then that means that he really did get his arm bitten off and then went on to fight against a group of Titans.

But wait—Eren's heart skipped a few beats when he realised something: if all that had really actually happened, then did that mean that they were-

"I will ask one last time!" Kitz's snarl broke the boy's thoughts, and his accusing glare landed dead on Eren, "Are you a man, or a Titan?"

Eren didn't waste a second to answer, "I'M HUMAN!" His voice radiated with an authority that Armin and Mikasa were unnerved by, never had their green eyed friend look so serious on something. It echoed off the dirt ground beneath them and briefly stopped the palpable blood lust that tainted the air. All the soldiers went slack, their expressions mixed. Some looked surprised by the passion in Eren's voice, while others looked revolted. As if it disgusted them that Eren would consider himself one of them.

Kitz's face went through a horrific transformation; his fear was slowly overlapped and mutated into something far more omnipotent and frightening. "So that's your final answer huh, I see" his voice was far lower now, and lacked any of the venom it had before. He sounded weary, terribly weary, as though he had the weight of the entire world on his shoulders. Then, he suddenly bellowed with a great burst of energy: "Rifles, take aim!"

The soldiers holding said weapons immediately stepped forward, closing in on the trio until they were ten paces away from them. Each of them held up their weapon and pointed the barrel at their target. Eighteen soldiers with rifles, one shot from each, enough to kill a human. And with the distances they were at, death was guaranteed for Eren and his friends. And when Eren noticed the murderous intent in Mikasa's eyes, he knew that she wasn't going to back down. He wasn't sure what was worse: his comrades killing him out of blind fear, or his sister killing said comrades in defence of him.

"Don't hate me for this" Kitz begged, yet the iron in his voice held no sadness of the act he was ready to commit. His chest heaving, he roared the death sentence that echoed all around them, "Fire!"

Flashes of orange pushed away the dim darkness that surrounded the trio, each rifle jerking upwards as it belched forth hot iron, and each of them had their own reaction. Mikasa tensed, readying herself for the pain that she believed she could tank. Armin cried out in terror, cowering. Eren didn't make a sound; he didn't flinch or make any sort of movement at all. He stared defiantly, without fear. He would defy death, as he had defied the expectations of everyone since he had begun training. These fools would gain no satisfaction from his death, he was determining of that.

However, death never came. It was stopped.

Literally, each individual bullet was stopped about a foot away from hitting Mikasa. Eren gaped at the sight of the wall of bullets that hovered in the air, his sharp eyes catching the heat rising from the hot balls of iron. To his surprise, Mikasa whipped her head around to face behind him and barked with annoyance, "You cut that too close, you idiots! Where the hell have you two been?!"

Even Armin glared with anger at something.

Eren quickly looked around, wanted to see just what his friends were looking/speaking to. His answer floored him. Standing there, slowly fading into existence like one would walk through a fog, was the Brothers. They had been watching the entire exchange from the shadows, hidden via their cloaking ability that even concealed their crimson eyes. While they were deeply tempted to attack the Garrison captain form sprouting such stupid things about Eren, they held themselves back and waited for the best opportunity to reveal themselves.

Yin was the first to speak, and there was a hint of a grin in his voice that was not expressed on his impassive face, "We apologise. We decided it best to stay hidden, just to see what your comrades would make of Eren and his new power, as well as so not to cause any more problems. As for reason we decided to step in now, simple: We wanted to keep you on your toes, the game's no fun if there aren't any thrills."

Armin bristled in a way that Eren had never seen before, "game? You think this is a game?!"

"When you've been warriors for as long as we have, every battle is a game" Yang answered, unmoved by the blonde's show of anger. "You've just got to play your cards right."

"Anyway" Yin turned his blood red eyes to the soldiers, who all looked like they were staring at a pack on Colossal Titans. "Leave the rest of this to us, just sit back and bring Eren up to speed" The Guyver then took a step forward, his metal encased foot issuing forth a small cloud of dust from the dirt ground below him. His brother followed only a step behind. However, when the metal being stood beside Eren he stopped, turned and tilted his head until his crimson eyes were staring down into Eren's emerald orbs. Relief filled the Guyver's heart when he saw no hatred or resentment in those eyes, only the wide eye disbelief at the sight of their return. His hand moved of its own free will, and came to rest upon the boy's head; shaking him out of his daze.

"It's good to see you again, Eren" he whispered earnestly, wishing he could remove the armour and show Eren his true self. But no, he knew he couldn't. It was too soon, and now certainly wasn't the right time. He and Yang had to end this madness, then he will remove his armour. Right now, just feeling him (proving that he really was there without a doubt) was more than enough. He felt little surprise when Eren's hands moved up to lay on his armoured one, the fingers curling slightly. He noted how his hair fell over his eyes, and how his teeth were pressing together so tightly.

"You're here" came the shy, choked up words. They were almost inaudible, but Yin's inhuman hearing would have picked up the words even if they were whispered. "You're really here, you came back…"

"We promised" Yang spoke this time, but made no move of physical contact. The compassion that his little brother showed wasn't his forte, so he stuck to his words. "We promised five years ago that we'd end this attack on your kind, and we intend on see that through to the end" steeping forward, the red and black Guyver rolled his shoulders to relieve the tension that nearly overwhelmed him. "Right after we beat some sense into these stupid bastards" he snarled lowly with venom.

Yin removed his hand from Eren's head, much to the boy's hidden disappointment. "And on that note, you lot get back to a safe distance." He warned. "This might not turn out pleasant." With that the Guardians walked forward, their faces lacking all human emotion, towards the small wall of bullets that barely reached their chests.

The Guyvers found themselves quite surprised by how—primitive the rifles were, the bullets were no more than little balls of lead. How could this culture create impressive technology such as the 3DM Gear, yet still have such weak handheld weapons? It didn't make sense, not at all. They noted that the venomous loathing was gone from their faces; now pure terror was the overruling emotion on all of their features. Limbs shaking and sweating bullets, the two metal warriors wouldn't have been surprised if they suddenly turned heal and ran like hell. That, or die of a sudden heart attack.

Finally, when no one said anything or dared to move, Yin broke the silence with a fair warning: "Leave now, and we will not harm you."

That broke Kitz out of his horrific daze, and he didn't waste a second as he screamed fearfully "RELOAD, YOU IDIOTS, BLOW THESE MONSTERS TO HELL!" Clearly the man had no idea who he was dealing with, so Yin and Yang made a mental note to make sure that he would by the end of this. As the rifle welders started to reload in a painfully slow yet frantic way, Yin moved out a hand and tapped one of the small bullets in front of him with his index finger.

It flew forward with a speed unlike any rifle in this world could produce, so fast was it that none of the humans could follow its course, and it made impact with one of the rifles. The soldier wielding the weapon gaped in a mixture of horror and astonishment, when he held the two pieces of what remained his weapon in both hands. Yang followed his brother's idea, flicking at the bullets before them. They whistled through the air, the sound like a spear being thrust into the ears of all who were present.

In just under ten seconds, Kitz was staring with horror at the sight of his soldiers holding broken rifles. Said soldiers were pale, and looked more like corpses of a battlefield.

Rolling his right hand to ease the muscles of his wrist, Yin spoke with his ever calm voice, "I trust we can now talk like civilised people?"

"I knew it…" in just under a second, the Garrison captain's face went from horrified to furious as he spat out hatefully. "I knew you two couldn't be trusted, you were never guardians of humanity, just another pair of goddamn freaks!" The brothers both felt arrows of anger shoot through their hearts, and this time they had a hard time keeping their temper in check. Kitz didn't know, he wouldn't due to the emptiness of the Guyver's faces, and thus gave his next command in a bellowing voice "draw your blades, cut them down! Humanity will be in terrible danger if we don't do something now!"

For a brief second the soldiers hesitated, looking from the Captain to the Guyvers fearfully. Then, their expressions became firm and grim, and they pulled forth their blades. Savage glee filled both Guyvers when they saw this, the blades used to kill Titans now tuned on them. It was so stupid, yet so funny. "Let's make this quick" Yin told his brother calmly, not wanting to waste too much time on a pointless fight whilst the Titans roamed freely on the other side of the wall. Linking his fingers together, he pushed both palms down and a series of audible cracking issued forth. "And no deaths, we have to show we're better than them" he added firmly, like a parent would to a child.

"Yeah yeah, I know" Yang muttered flippantly, already stepping forward. Yin quickly followed, slightly miffed by his brother's attitude. Yang then shouted towards the soldiers, who seemed to be waiting for the Guardians'' move, "Have at us!"

That begun it.

The soldiers charged forward, screaming all their fury and pent up feelings as though this would be their final battle. The Guyvers didn't move faster, make any sound, or show any hesitation as they stepped forward as a calm pace. But, Yin then made the first move as the soldiers closed in and thrust his left hand downwards. The soldiers closest to them suddenly shot upwards, about three feet of the ground, like puppets being jerked roughly on their strings by children. Yin shot forward, his fists flying. The soldiers were sent flying or spinning as his clenched hand made contact with them, the gravity of the area around them manipulated to make the mass of anything in the area lighter by 50%. The soldiers fell to the ground roughly once they moved out of said area, sore and most likely bruised but still alive.

Yang preformed closer attacks, launching himself at the stunned soldiers. The first soldier had little time to react as his cheek was struck solidly by the Guyver's armour fist, a spurt of blood and teeth leaving his mouth. The world moved slowly to the red being, as he shot out his right leg and struck a woman behind him in the side with a heel kick.

A crack filled his covered ears, a broken rib perhaps? Not fatal, hopefully, but definitely painful.

Turning, he lowered his leg until the ball of his foot was scratching against the dirt ground. Turning faster, his foot caught the feet of the soldiers circling him. Most cried out in surprise as they fell back, but few actually reacted fast enough and jumped, evading his attack. Pulling his leg in and rising, three of the remaining standing soldiers used their jumped to their advantage and brought their blades down screaming. One struck each of his shoulders, and the last came down upon his forehead. The results for horrifying for Kitz but amazing to Eren, both of which were watching the battle. The blades of the 3DM Gear were said to be the toughest objects that existed within the walls, the best weapons to kill Titans.

However, the blades proved to be ineffective against the armoured body of the Black Guardian; as each one shattered into glittering pieces.

Yang gave the soldiers no chance and, with a nonchalant wave of his hand, he sent the trio flying like leafs in the wind.

Unlike his brother, Yin was trying his best not to injure the soldiers. After sending his first opponents into flight, he had hoped that the others would lose the will to fight and back down. Sadly, that did not happen, and now the younger Guyver dodged and evaded the attacks his newest opponents with great ease. A group of five, to be exact. With mere steps, either to the side or back, he bypassed every move the soldiers made without raising a fist. The swipes of their blades, he noticed, were different to the strikes he had seen done by Mikasa, Mina and the others. They were rushed, forced and swung too powerfully for blades that thin. It was like an action figure wielding a kitchen knife. Obviously, these people had been trained to fight creatures bigger than them, with little training done for them if they were to encounter and battle an enemy their size.

But, despite how futile their situation was, they still continued to fight. Yin respected them for that. However, the battle was beginning to grate on his nerves. This was too easy, pure child's play, and it was clear to anyone watching that he had the upper hand. So why the hell didn't the fools make it easier on all of them and surrender?!

"Don't underestimate us!" one soldier barked, bringing the Guyver back to reality as he evaded his attack, obviously taking offense to the Guardian's calmness of their battle while they felt as though their deaths were assured.

"Fight back!" a female soldier yelled, making a swing that aimed for Yin's exposed neck. He easily side stepped and avoided it, and then bent forward to avoid another soldier's attack. He spun and stepped back as he straightened up, gaining some distance between him and his adversaries. The fight came to a brief pause, as the soldiers tried to reclaim their breath. Yin stood like a statue before the five of them, immaculate and unmoved. His will truly was unshakable, Eren thought with awe before Armin brought his attention back to the subject they were discussing.

Despite his impassive face, the White Guardian truly was at the end of his patience. This was all so tedious, this pointless battle while more people were killed just over the wall. Indeed, this was taking to long for the Guyver's liking, he needed to put an end to this. Putting out his arms in a welcoming gesture, he spoke in the voice of a man inquiring about the weather, "Have at me."

The five soldiers looked livid at his calmness, seemingly taking it as smugness wrapped in honey glazed words. However, they couldn't have been more wrong. Yin knew, as a fact, that he was far more powerful than these people. That was a fact, nothing more nothing less. He wouldn't boast about his power, or taunt the soldiers on their weakness against him. He would handle this with silence. Though, this being said, it didn't stop Yin from feeling surges of satisfaction as he read their individual reactions.

They screamed once again as they charged at him, looking like gladiators for Rome rushing towards the head warrior for the ultimate prize. They each slashed at individual places, his chest, his arm, his leg, his neck and side. But when the turned to observe their enemy, they were horrified to see that their attacks had no effect whatsoever and that their blades had shattered on impact with the Guyver's armoured body.

Yin chose this moment to strike, and use a minuscule amount of his powers. Moving faster than the human eye, he zoomed forward until he was behind the group. His leg shot out, hitting the man in front of him on the back and sending him face first into the dirt.

The woman of the five ran towards him, yelling with what was left of her blade raised like a small dagger. When she was within distance, Yin shot up his right hand and grabbed her wrist in a vice lock. His free hand flew forward in a fist, striking her in the chest and sending her back. Snapping back the same fist almost robotically, he broke the nose of one of the men who tried to sneak up on him and assist the woman with the back of it. A gush of blood flew in the air, and the man fell to the ground screaming.

The last two soldier stood before him, new blades within the handles and glittering in the slowly disappearing sunlight. Yin decided not to waste time. Raising both hands, he made them so only his thumbs and index fingers were stretched and pointing towards the two. In short, he made them look like guns. The act confused the soldiers but, as they were trained, they did not lower their guard. They were right to do so.

"Bang."

Both his thumbs shot down onto his clenched middle fingers, and Eren and his friend's just saw the shockwaves appear before the two Garrison soldiers' chests. They were kicked off their feet, their bodies turning in the air, and landed painfully onto the dirt ground. Unclenching his other fingers, Yin turned and observed to see who would be next. What he saw both surprised and pleased him.

His brother had made short work of any who had crossed his path and, much to his relief, had not killed any of them. They were severely hurt, of course, but the wounds would not be fatal (He hoped). Their either unconscious or pain wracked bodies laid across the ground, and those who were conscious didn't dare try to get up again. Those who were stand were shaking like leafs on a tree in autumn, one could see that clearly through their trembling blades. Hovering a few centimeters off the ground, Yin glided forward until he came beside his brother and his feet retouched the ground.

They stared towards Kitz with unblinking crimson eyes, whilst the man and the short silver haired woman besides him stared back at them with horror. Before they could get a word out, the Garrison captain screamed "FIRE THE FUCKING CANNONS!"

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Earlier, A Few Blocks Away

The cold, cool water that flowed down his parch throat was little comfort for Jean, as he stared grimly out at the scene before him. What was left of the trainees stood outside a local inn as they awaited their orders, orders they darkly knew would either lead to their death or salvation. The wounded, those who were injured before the Guyvers appearance, were shipped around in carriers; their moans of pain reaching his ears like the cries of the dead.

"Well, it could be worse" he thought, as he noted their numbers. It was no secret that, thanks to the Guardians' intervention, more cadets had survived than any would have anticipated. Due to this, many friends were standing together and comforting each other. Turning his head slightly, he noticed Annie doing just that to Mina. A pang of regret filled Jean as he noticed her teary eyes and the despair over her face, yet he offered no words of comfort. He and Mina weren't enemies, by any means, but even after knowing each other for three years they just weren't that close. They were comrades, acquaintance, but no more than that. He was glad that Annie was there to look out for her, and it never ceased to surprise him how the usual stoic girl could be friends with such a vivacious person.

"Opposites attract, I suppose" he thought with a wry smirk, which quickly left his face when the hiss of an unsheathing blades filled his ears. Head snapping in the direction of the sounds, he saw Marco, Franz and Hannah trying to calm down a hysterical Daz. Jean frowned when, even from this distance, he could hear how terrified the grey haired lad was and just how willing he was to end his own life; despite the words of the three that were trying to help him.

Better to die by one's own hands than to be eaten, he figured to be Daz's logic to be.

Despite how hallow and tried he felt, Jean felt compelled to say something. The idea was appealing, to say the least, as he would then have something to do rather than sit on his ass and do nothing. And with Eren not here, he had no one to vent his pent up anger out on. As he rose to his feet and begun his walk over to his comrades, his mind wondered to think of that suicidal bastard.

Shortly after leaving the HQ back in Trost to climb the wall, he and the others were utterly gobsmacked to see the White Guardian cradling Eren in his arms; passed out but alive. Mikasa was at his side immediately, snatching the boy form the armoured being's arms. Jean then received his next surprised when Mikasa, the second stoic girl he knew, burst into tears; crying out her relief and pent up emotion. Armin was crying too, while he and the others were silent. That included the Guyvers. Shortly after and within a brief moment of peace, the Brothers kindly carried them over to the lift that took them to the other side of the wall. However, once they reached it, the Guardians disappeared.

There had been no footsteps or noises, they had had just—vanished.

Armin had been the first to brush it off, stating that they most likely went off to take care of the rest of the Titans, and stated that they couldn't waste time thinking about it. Taking his words into account, they got into the lift. And then, once they made it to the other side, they encountered Kitz Weilman of the Garrison regiment. He and the others were sworn to secrecy and then forced to leave Eren to them, it did not escape Jean that he and his men had looks of pure terror written all over their faces. Mikasa and Armin stayed behind, with the former drawing her blades with metallic hisses and a death glare while the latter stayed close to Eren.

That had been a full ten minutes ago.

Jean clenched his teeth as he walked along, doing his best not to explode and cause a scene. He hated this, he hated being unable to do anything! Armin, Mikasa and even that twat Eren are facing the death penalty, and he can't do a damn thing to stop it! After all the success of Trost, he had been thrown aside into the lurch like a piece of trash. "We could really use your help right now, Guardians…"

Jean had never believed in the stories, the tales of the black and white warriors. He had always believed the people of Shiganshina had gone insane from the fear of being attack after one hundred years of peace, if one would call it that. But now the proof had been standing, talking, before him and he now found himself a believer. That's why he was praying, that's why he was-

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! The familiar sound of gunfire shot through the ash hair man's ears like an arrow, breaking his thoughts and making him stop dead in his tracks. His head snapped in the direction the sound generated from, as did many other trainees.

"Gunfire?!"

"It came from inside the wall!"

"Who could they be shooting at? A Titan?!"

"No way, it must have been someone in a higher rank trying to leave, they must have been executed!"

"But why shoot so many times?!"

Among the words being spewed by the others, Jean felt his blood turn to ice in his veins. An image of three corpses piled on top of each other appeared in his mind. "Oh God…" he breathed, horrified beyond belief. Mikasa, Armin—Eren! Something within him lurched, and his cable shot forth and stabbed into the wood of the building before him. As he was launched upwards, he heard someone (Reiner, he thinks) call behind him.

He didn't pay attention to that though, he just focused on getting closer to the source of the shooting, to see if his friends and rival had been gun down. "God please…" he thought desperately. When he made it to the closest building to the wall, the sight that was shown to him was thankfully not what he was expecting.

But boy was it a sight!

The trio had been pushed into a corner, which Jean guessed was to make it so it would be impossible to use their 3DM Gear. Though, as he remembered the look on Mikasa's face, he reckoned that she wouldn't have even considered leaving Eren.

What caught the young man's eyes were the two being that had appeared in the nick of time to save the trio from certain death, the Guardians! Where they had come from and where they had been the whole time he may never know, but they were there when his friend's needed them the most; as always. That's all that mattered. Jean then noticed that he wasn't alone, and looked to his sides to see Annie, Reiner and Bertholdt had come to join him for whatever reason.

Turning his sights back to the scene unfolding before them, what followed was something that gave Jean mixed feelings.

The distance he was from the Guardians and the Garrison soldiers did not stop the wind from carrying their words to his ears. He heard it all, the Guyvers words and the captain's orders to his soldiers. Freaks? Monsters? Danger to Humanity? Was the man high or something?! The Guardians were, without a doubt, the best thing that had happened to humanity in 100 years; yet the captain was convinced that they were the enemy. Had he not seen the acts they had done, all the lives they had saved?

It wasn't right, his future comrades were fighting against their greatest allies and the ones who had saved him and his friends, and that pissed him off. It made his stomach turn when he watched the Guyvers easily take out the Garrison members, with far more swiftness than he had seen them do the Titans. Two different kinds of fighters of humanity, fighting each other. No, this really didn't sit well with Jean.

It was just too screwed up.

"What incredible power…" Bertholdt's whisper of awe shook pulled Jean away from the battle bellow and to his left, his eyes coming to rest on the lanky soldier besides him. His tall ally's face was filled with amazement, yet his eyes shined with something akin to fear.

Beside him, he noticed that Annie too was watching the battle with awe. There was no fear in her gaze, she looked like a child who had seen the best gift within a shop as desired it more than anything. It was, he noted with slight disturbance, the same look she had when she thought against Mikasa a year ago. That eager, almost unnatural excitement that had no place on this Earth.

"Well, aren't they strong ones…" Reiner's voice was its ever humorous, light tone. When Jean turned to face the bulky soldier, he saw that his face didn't match the tone of his voice at all. His face, Christ, Jean had never seen such a—terrifying look on the blonde's face. His eyes narrowed into dagger tips and his lips stretched into a wide bloodthirsty grin, Reiner's face was that of a person ready to murder another and enjoy every nanosecond of it.

Jean could only stare, dumbstruck. Behind him, Bertholdt's quiet voice came in a worried whisper, "Reiner?"

"FIRE THE FUCKING CANNONS!"

BA-DOOM! BA-DOOM! All thoughts were drowned out by a duo of explosions of gunpowder and the whistling of cannon balls as they drilled through the air and towards their targets. Neither of the Guyver's moved, but the red and black one turned leisurely and held up an arm as one of the balls of death rushed towards him at blinding speed.

One explosion rang through the air, and then all became silent.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yang felt nothing when the cannon ball aimed at him slammed into his open palm, a shockwave of compressed air blowing out with a near deafening boom. His arm didn't buckle, it remained straight as thought it was made of iron. Moving his arm and bringing the iron ball to his face, his red eyes staring idly down at the thing that could kill normal humans.

Turning his head, he saw that his little brother stand as motionlessly as a statue; a black crescent line sprayed onto the ground two meters behind him. Yang smirked under his amour, Yin hadn't even moved to destroy his inanimate attack.

Turning back to the Garrison captain, who looked quite horrified once again, he moved the cannon ball for them all to see. His fingers dug into the iron, spider-web like cracks covering the entire circumference of the cannon ball. A sound akin to rocks being crushed filled the air, and what was left of the cannon fell lifelessly to the ground. "Try that again," the red and black Guyver hissed, his soul searing crimson eyes glowing intensely with his rage, his hand clenched into a tight fist and crushing the iron within it into dust. "I dare you." Though his words were spoken through gritted teeth, all picked up on the threatening malice lacing the words like poison upon an arrow.

Yin sighed silently, his still form not expressing his emotions. This was all truly stupid, this battle against these soldiers. He decided, then and there, that it was time for words and not actions. He stepped forward, his armoured feet kicking up small clouds of dirt that went up to his ankles.

Kitz stiffed with fear as the Guyver slowly trekked forward, his brother a step behind, the desire to run strong and within the forefront of his mind. His feet felt plastered to the ground, the stare of those unblinking red eyes spearing him to the core and making his blood pump into his ears with the intensity of a sledgehammer. Rico was speaking beside him, but all he could hear was inaudible mumbling as the squad leader begged the man for orders.

"Now…" The voice, cold and metallic with unyielding calm and authority, broke through the pounding in Kitz's ears and he went very still when he realised that the being of legend was only standing eight feet before him. "Can we now, talk like civilised people?"

A blue light outlined the Control Metal upon Yin's head as Kitz snapped into action, more than likely to sprout some kind of orders to the soldiers. Speaking of them, it didn't escape the Guyver how they were giving him and his brother a wide berth. The Garrison captain's body went taunt and straight like a rod, his arms to his sides as though they were encased in invisible strings. "W-what is this?! I can't move!" he cried out fearfully, trying in vain to move himself and only managing the tiniest of twitches.

"That's my doing" Yin stated, his Control Metal glowing with a outline like the sun during a solar eclipse. "I'm using my powers to keep you still. I could have done worse, make no mistake, but I've wasted enough power on this meaningless battle as it is. That, and I don't want to kill you." Yin paused and waited. When the captain calmed down, though retained a fierce defiant glare, he continued "now you are going to listen to what I have to say, and should you say anything that I find annoying, I am going to lock your jaw muscles. Understand?"

A curt nod, and a hateful glare.

"Good boy" Yin said mockingly, like a parent would to a child, before taking a deep breath and releasing it.

"Eren Yeager is not an enemy of the human race, this is a fact. A pure, undeniable fact. How I know this? Simple: I've seen it, before he returned to normal, I saw Eren take down at least fifthteen Titans all by himself; with me and my brother watching as spectators. He was a machine, cutting down the Titans but not once did he attack us or any of the soldiers. The Titans saw him the same as they saw us, as a threat or prey. They saw him just as they would a human. This too, is a fact that cannot be denied. As you said, many of the soldiers here saw this."

Yin's words brought out realisation for many of the soldiers who held their blades and rifles at the ready. He saw them realise the truth in his words, and heard the murmurs of reconsideration. He also saw what looked like fear upon Kitz's face, perhaps it was the fear that he was losing control of the situation. Or perhaps it was the fear of realising that he was right. The Guyver could not tell which.

Regardless, Yin continued "Now, I understand that you're afraid. This something you've never seen before, so of course you're afraid. However, that does not give you the right to execute Eren like he's a rat; just because you don't understand. You don't see the great potential that stands before, the gift you've received!"

"And what would that be?" Kitz asked through grit teeth, having given up all plans of struggling and listening to what the supposed Guardian had to say.

"That you have a means to deal the breach within the wall. If you combine the kid's 'Titan Power' with your military forces, you can recapture Trost. If you just calm down and think then you will see that I am right, that this is a blessing, not a problem."

The Garrison Solider pursed his lips, his face thoughtful. Yin and Yang both noticed the tension gradually leave his body. The soldiers around them too seemed more relaxed, some going past them and helping up the injured. Finally, Kitz spoke in a low voice that eerily lack any and all emotion "why should I believe you? Even if this is all true, why should I?"

Underneath his armour, Yang scowled. He had been quit for most of this, allowing his brother to work his magic with his words. But even after Yin had said the truth, that man still refused to see it?! The red and black Guyver really was being to lose his restraint to jump forward and kill the cowering bastard. "In what way has my brother left any room for doubt?" he questioned with more than a hint of anger.

Kitz lowered his head, a shadow forming over his face. "You don't know, you should. After all-" Inhaling sharply, the man's head snapped up and his eyes glowered with accusing fury. "YOU ABANDONED US!"

The brothers suddenly became very still.

"Five years ago, it was reported that you battled the Titans that invaded Shiganshina; that you even battle the infamous Armoured Titan! It's well known fact, one that all members of the military know, me included! You two are symbols of hope to humanity, your very presence in this world inspired more people than ever to join the fight against the Titans and has even spawned a cult that worship you like Gods! Hell, this cult has more members than those crackpot Wallists!"

A cold, horrible feeling settled into the Guyver's chest as the captain continued to list the effects they had on the world. Even Yin, who was notorious for keeping cool under any situation, felt his control over Kitz slipping as his mind was attack by dark thoughts of guilt and torment.

"But despite all the good you've done, you disappeared and weren't seen for five years! Five years! Wall Maria fell and we've lost a third of our land and twenty percent of the population since in trying to reclaim said land!" His eyes becoming glassy, and his face adopting sadness, Kitz screamed out what could have been all his resentment towards the Guardians "YOU ABANDONED HUMANITY WHEN WE NEEDED YOU THE MOST, TURNING YOUR BACKS ON US AND LEAVING US TO THE MERCY OF THE TITANS! SO MANY HAVE DIED, SO MANY CONTINUE TO DIE, AND YOU EXPECT ME TO THINK YOU'RE HERE TO SET THINGS RIGHT?! BULLSHIT! EVERYTHING YOU SAY, IT'S ALL LIES AND BULLSHIT!"

The control Yin had over Kitz's body was lost, and the man moved his limbs in a way that looked like he was breaking free of restraints. Feeling somewhat victorious, the captain sneered toward the quiet Guardians, "what do you have to say to that?"

"What indeed?" Armin wondered. Kitz outburst was heard all the way back to the wall, where Eren and his loyal friends sat. Armin and Mikasa had explained everything to him as the Brothers fought, and had mainly been watching the battle unfold. The Guyver would win, they knew without a doubt, but how far Kitz Weilman was willing to defy them was what took them by surprise. They realised that the Guyvers weren't going to kill him, but they didn't expect them to allow things to drag out this long.

Armin became aware of heavy breathing, and turned to its source. His teeth were bare, and his emerald eyes were wide and glowing with that same fire they always had. There, crouching besides him, Eren's face was the very picture of animalistic fury as he glared in the direction of where the Garrison captain stood.

"Just like back then" Armin thought, with the smallest touch of bitterness.

Yin looked at Yang.

Yang looked at Yin.

A thought passed between their silent gaze.

Both pulled their arms across their chest and focused, feeling the power within them boil beneath their skin and beg for release. Then, they threw out their arms and roared, allowing the energy within them to come forth. The darkness of the shadow of the wall and the orange hue of the setting sun was pushed away by the bright colours of blue and red, as the Guyvers bodies were covered in their signature auras, the brightness so great that it made the Garrison personnel before them cover their eyes. The Guardians' screams were heard by all, form Trost behind the wall and the trainees only a few block away. Then, when the brightness subsided, the soldiers looked upon the Guyver and thought them gods.

They stood tall, still, and silent. Their fists clenched tightly by their sides, eyes glowing like crimson lanterns, and their Control Metals shining with their fury. Together, they spoke as one: "WE ARE THE YIN YANG BROTHERS! WE PROMISED TO DESTROY THE TITANS, MAKE THEM SUFFER FOR THE LIVES THEY HAD TAKEN AND RETURN HUMANITY TO ITS FORMER SPLENDOR! THIS PROMISE WE INTEND TO KEEP, TO HOLD IT UNTIL THE VERY END! TO ERADICATE ANY AND ALL THAT WE SET OUR SIGHT UPON, ANY WHO WOULD DARE TO PRAY UPON THE INNOCENT AND THE WEAK! THAT IS WHAT WE DO! THAT IS, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE, THE WAY OF THE YIN YANG BROTHERS!"

Kitz bared his teeth, his arm rising. If that was the Guardians final answer, then so be it. He took an oath as an officer, that he would crush any insubordination and anything that would pose a threat to humankind. That it was he does, that is his way. He threw his hand down-

-and found it being caught by steely fingers.

"That's quite enough out of you, Captain Weilman" a hoarse voice said, "I think it would benefit everyone if you worked on your nervous disposition. It's truly shocking that a man your size is as delicate as a fawn."

Kitz's head snapped round to face the person behind him. The person was a man, about a head shorter than Kitz himself, dressed in the same uniform as the rest of them with the only distinguishable difference being the bolo tie hanging loosely around his neck. A neatly trimmed moustache above his top lip, the only real hair on his entire head as his scalp was completely desolate, his golden eyes twinkled with a youthfulness that contrasted greatly with the deep age wrinkles in his forehead and around his eyes. Kitz identified the man in an alarmed gasp, "C-Commander Pixis!"

The Commander regarded his captain calmly, "Though I've just arrived, I have been well told about the situation."

"W-Well then, Sir-" Kitz stuttered, trying his best not to lose his cool before his superior. He pointed at the Guyvers (who had lost their auras) and Eren, and hissed accusingly "you should know then, that brat can transform into a Titan! And those armoured freaks defended him, attacking and injuring our men! They're all too dangerous to be left alive!"

"I also know that it was you who did not allow the Guardians to speak their piece" Pixis's look became cold and unforgiving, "you acted purely on fear, and I am disappointed in you Kitz." The captain was not given a chance to say anything, as his superior snapped "that is why I am having you placed in command of the reinforcements, effective immediately."

Again, Kitz tried to speak but was stopped by Rico; who quietly shook her head. Scowling, Kitz flicked his wrist and the soldiers immediately lowered their rifles and sheathed their blades. They followed their captain away, noting the cloud of anger he left in his steps.

When he was sure that the man was gone, the golden eyes of Dot Pixis stared at the Guardians without a hint of fear. He smiled calmly, "Now, how about we have that chat you were requesting? The one where we act like civilised people?"

The duo both inhaled deeply, and steam gushed form the Guyver's breather mask like mouths. Just like that, the fighting was over.

For now.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The afternoon air was comforting on Eren's body as it washed over him like waves of water, orange glow of the sun beaming down upon him and those with him. Commander Dot Pixis calmly strolled along by the edge of the wall before them, regarding the Titan scratching at the Wall calmly as he drank from a small container he pulled from his uniform. "So…" Yin's started; his voice low as though he didn't wish the man to hear him, leaning slightly to Armin as they followed a few paces behind. "You wouldn't mind tell me and my brother who this person is."

Armin looked slightly surprised by the request, before he turned his attention back to the bald man. Calmly, he stated "he's Dot Pixis, Commander of the Garrison regiment and the highest ranking commander of the southern territory, including Trost. He's the man who has full authority regarding the defence of humanity's most important districts."

"So he's the boss huh?" Yang didn't once look away from the bald man. He hummed lightly, "well, so far he hasn't done anything stupid." Yin silently agreed.

"Nope, not any of you" Pixis said suddenly, and the group noticed that he had come to a stop. He was still staring down at the Titans. He then turned to them, smiling ruefully, "I wouldn't mind getting eaten by a Titan, especially if it was a sexy lady one."

Eren jumped when Yang made a sudden, high pitched sound. His head snapping in the direction of his childhood hero, he felt a surged of fear when he saw Yang wrap his hands around his neck. The Guyver appeared to be choking. Just as Eren was about to panic, Yin slammed a closed fist onto the top of his brother's back. It worked well, and the red and black Guyver hacked out broken gushes of steam from his breather features. As the others look at him worry and shock, he croaked, "W-What did he say?!"

"He's also known for being quite eccentric" Armin added, and did not sound sorry at all for saying it too late or in the presence of the Commander. Yin suddenly wondered exactly what kind of man they were stuck with.

A brief, awkward silence fell over the group as the Guyver quietly digested the new information; with Yang quickly regaining his composure. Pixis broke the silence with the question: "Now that I have brought you away from judging eyes, may we talk freely?"

Yin nodded, "Let's." He was glad that his face and voice showed no emotion.

The Garrison Commander's expression became serious, an intense glint in his golden eyes, "I suppose I'll ask the first and foremost question that's on everyone's mind: What exactly is Eren Yeager's power?"

Yin's answer was immediate and simple, "We don't know." Just as Pixis was about to question him, the younger Guyver decided to give a bit more meat to his words, "What I said before still stands, Eren's power can be used to turn the tide in this battle. However, where these powers came from is unknown to us. Truth be told," Yin turned to look at the boy, flinched slightly under the intense gaze; those eyes were exactly as he remembered them to be. Empty and soul searing, he had thought he was ready to stare into them unafraid. "We thought he was dead, until about 45 minutes ago."

Eren looked down at his feet, a familiar feeling growing in his chest. It was that same hatred that he felt all those years ago, the same one that pushed him all this time and boiled in his blood like venom. He wanted to prove himself to them, to show that he wasn't weak, and had failed miserably. His lowered head made the others miss the fury that etching onto his countenance.

Dot's hard stare did not waver, "So you have no information? None at all about the boy's ability?"

"Is that a problem?" Yang hissed menacingly, and the bald man tensed like an animal ready to pounce.

Just before a fight could spark, Eren suddenly exclaimed "actually, I have information!" All eyes turned to him. Keeping his composure, so not to appear hesitant before a Commander and his mother's saviors, the emerald eye boy stated "when the Guardians were fighting the Garrison soldiers, I was struck by a sudden wave of memories. Memories containing my father."

"Your father?" Yin did hide his intrigue.

"Shortly after we were evacuated, my father disappeared. All he left behind was this," Dot and the Guyvers leaned forward slightly when Eren pulled out a key that had been hanging around his neck. Mikasa and Armin's eyes widened at the familiar object.

"What is it?" Pixis asked, sounding just as confused as the Guyver had been a moment ago.

Eren gave his superior a serious stare, "It's the key to my home's basement, were my father kept most of his work. I never knew what was inside, he never said, never told anyone. But my memories showed me that he gave this to me, saying that I had to back to Shinganshina. That the truth was there!" The boy's voice went shrill slightly as he tried to emphasize the fact.

Dot looked thoughtful, putting a hand on his chin, "So you're saying that your basement might hold secrets regarding your power, as well as possible secrets to the Titans."

"Yes Sir!" Eren spoke with confidence but, when his eyes fell back to the key, he added lowly "or at least that's what I think." Again, the young Yeager felt a surge of anger towards himself at showing uncertainty over such an important subject; especially in front of the Guyvers. The beings in question were silent though, as was Pixis as he turned back to the burning city of Trost. A heavy silence blanketed the group.

Eren grimaced as he thought about the memories that now rested at the front of his mind, ones that he had only remembered now. Ever since he disappeared, the mere mention of his father would throw Eren into a fit of great pain. It would be like flies swarming in his head, accompanied by garbled voices, until he would finally wake up hours later with little memory of what had happened. As such, Eren hardly thought of his father; truth was he hated the man. He abandoned his family when they needed him the most, when his mother needed her husband the most, and had not been seen at all. He could picture his mother, staring at the door of their new home as he usually caught her doing, as though Grisha would walk through it at any moment.

It hurt seeing her like that, more than any pain a Titan could inflict.

Now though, Eren couldn't help but wonder what exactly his father had been doing those five years ago. His mind made up various possibilities, and each was as concerning as the last. "What the hell were you doing Dad?" Eren clenched the key tightly in his fist, his jaw squaring. Darkly, he thought "What the hell did you do to me?"

When none else spoke, and wanting to get his mind of the subject, Eren decided to take a risk by asking allow. "Do you believe me?" This question was asked to the Brothers, and the Garrison Commander.

Dot sighed, "As there is no way to confirm what you're saying, let's just say I'll consider it" he tapped his temple for emphasise. Turning back to them, he continued with the smallest of grins "the Guardians went to great lengths to protect you, so I say that your intentions can't be anything evil. As such, you and your friends safety is guaranteed." When the trio of cadets sighed in relief, the Commander added humorously with a slight nod to the Brothers, "Though I doubt those two would have allowed anything to happen to you."

"Damn right we wouldn't." Yin agreed, a hint of a grin on his voice, and Yang silently nodded.

The man smiled, more relaxed now that he had something to go on other than blind faith. "Now, my second question is as follows: Did you mean it when you said that Eren Yeager's ability can be used to save Trost? Or were you merely trying to save his life?"

"Both" Yang answered in Yin's place, and the latter turned his soul searing gaze towards his brother sharply. Maybe he was annoyed, maybe he was surprised. None of the humans present could tell. Regardless, the red and black Guyver continued "Eren's power can definitely help us, though that asshole for before wasn't willing to listen to reason and wanted to murder the boy; and I wasn't down with that." Yang's voice adopted a cold, unfeeling edge, "So as you know, we stepped in and took care of the matter and made them all see the truth. And even then, the motherfucker was still trying to kill us! Like he fucking could!" The last words were snarled out.

Pixis nodded calmly, unmoved by the Guyver's anger. "I must admit, Captain Weilman's actions were quite the embarrassment and I do take full responsibility for what happened-"

"So you should." Yang spat, cutting through the man's words with the subtlety of a train.

Ignoring the jive, the Commander resumed, "But in what way do you think that the boy's power can be used?"

"We don't know." Yin stated simply with a shrug. "Neither of us have thought that far ahead."

Pixis frowned.

"I know of a way that Eren can help!" Armin suddenly exclaimed, making all present twitch with surprise. "I was thinking that Eren could lift the boulder created form the Wall when the Colossal Titan appeared. He could use it to seal the breach that was made, and Yin and Yang could protect him from any nearby Titans. But if he fails, then the Guardians themselves could step in and do it."

"That's a good plan." Yang said as soon as Armin finished, and the blonde looked at the Guyver with unhidden surprise. Turning to his brother, he said "I say we go with it." Yin nodded in agreement.

Before Yin could response, Dot asked "why is it that you wish to let Eren Yeager do this, while you two could do it without any difficulty? I wouldn't put it past you that only one of you could be able to lift this boulder." There was no suspicion in the Commander's voice; he was merely raising a point and a fact. So far, it seemed as though the man trusted the Guyvers; which most likely homed in on the fact of what they did five years ago.

As well as the impact they had since.

"Let's just say we want to let the kid have this." Yin stated, his voice offering nothing to Pixis. The sapphire blue and white Guyver turned to Eren, and there was a hint of a smile in his voice when he said "and I personally want to see the extent of his power."

The man scoffed, but it was hard to tell exactly what it was he was scoffing at. He walked over to Eren slowly, until they were nearly chest to chest. His twinkling golden eyes stared down into the boy's burning emerald ones. If Eren's eyes were pits of fire, Dot's were pits of stars. "Well, Cadet Yeager?" The question was sudden, spoken deadpan without any emotion. At Eren's raised brow, he asked with a scrutinizing glare "can you seal up that hole?"

Eren's eyes narrowed with confusion when, right after he asked the question, Pixis looked over the boy's shoulder. Following the gaze, he realised that the man was looking at the territory belong to Wall Rose. Eren understood immediately. If this plan failed, then Wall Rose would fall and humanity would suffer greatly. Wall Shina wouldn't be able to support the amount of people left if Trost fell, and that was if they were warned in advanced before the Titans spread out towards them. The human race would be extinct in a matter of weeks if that happened, and the last thing Eren or this world needed to see was another civil war. He had to do this.

"But that's not all…" Eren turned to face the Guardians that stood by his side, his childhood heroes; the ones that ignited the catalysis that set him on this path. They were looking at him, and their eyes showed not a whit of human emotion. Not only did Eren know that he had to do this for humanity, he knew that this was the perfect chance for him to prove himself. Five years of waiting, and now it was time to show them how far he had come. He had failed miserably before, but now he had been offered the chance to try again. He wasn't going to pass it up. He turned to Commander Pixis, his eyes ablaze, and gave the man his answer:

"I can, and I will!"

It was all Dot needed to here. It was all the man needed to here. With a hearty laugh, he clapped Eren twice on the shoulder and exclaimed "well said, you're a true man!" Walking past the boy to the edge of the Wall, he roared "Where's my council?! We have a strategy to work out!"

Armin stared at the man's back, his eyes wide with fearful disbelief. "S-Seriously, he's going with it?! It was just something I thought of off the top of my head but…he really intends to carry it out? Right now?!"

"What's the big shock?" Armin's eyes then went to Yang, who was staring at the boy. His face didn't show it, but his voice carried confusion. "It's a solid plan, Armin. And right now, time is of the essence."

"B-but," Armin stuttered, looking blown away. "Surly you two, or the Commander, could have thought of something better!"

"Nope."

Armin's shoulder sagged at the red and black Guyver's brief reply, "you're kidding…"

"He's not, I assure" Yin stated in his ever soft, distorted voice. "Me and my brother have been fighting for about the past twenty two hours, and the fatigue is beginning to get to us. Much like what I said to the Commander, we want to leave this matter to you lot; and offer our assistance along the way."

"Twenty two hours?" Mikasa was quite perplexed, as was Eren and Armin. She stated, "It's been just under four hours since the Colossal Titan appeared."

Had it really only been that long since the monster appeared? To all of them, it felt more like lifetimes than hours.

The blue metal Guyver cursed himself for his slip up, though knew that there was little he could do to change it. It was proof that he was growing tired. "It's complicated" he replied smoothly to their question looks, his voice devoid of emotion. "All you need to know is that there is a chance to re-take this town, and nothing will stop us from helping you carry out the act. Nothing." Ferocity bled into the young Guardian's stoic voice.

Eren smiled, just a little on the savage side. He to wasn't going to let anything stand in his way of proving himself. Three years of training, and waiting, was about to pay off. The anticipation was making him giddy.

"Every minute counts." All eyes went to Pixis, who stood with who appeared to be his council. It consisted of a tall man with black hair and a square jaw, and an auburn hair woman who was slightly shorter than the Commander. Her face was aloof, most likely a defence mechanism due to all the horror happening around them. Or maybe she just didn't care. It was hard to tell.

Staring mainly at the Guyvers, the old man said with a grin: "Time to re-establish yourselves as heroes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And you all know what's coming next!
> 
> Relating to my early words about delay, I decided to cut this chapter in half; so this is two parts of volume three (in a sense).
> 
> Expect the next chapter soon!


	5. Operation: Trost Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now it's time to save Trost!
> 
> Nuff said!
> 
> Do enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer- I don't own Attack on Titan, it all belongs to Kodansha. I also don't own Guyver, it all belongs to Kadokawa Shoten. I only own my OCs.

"Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory" George S. Patton

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh dear Christ, not this again." Jean mentally groaned, wishing that a hole would appear in the ground and swallow him up. The groan was not done in despair, it was one of exasperation.

He, as well all the trainees that had survived, were standing by the Wall in a huge group; their chattering and murmurs flowing through the air like waves of water. They had been called in by their superiors, who he saw were just as frightened as they were, as apparently there was a plan to retake Trost. Of course, this caused hesitation and doubt among those who didn't want to go back. The soldiers claiming their commanders glory hounds and madmen. And as such, Daz had just jumped into another fit of hysterics. That was the source of Jean annoyance, as he knew that there was definitely a plan in motion.

He had seen the Brothers and Commander Pixis go off together up to top of the Wall, and he was certain that they were discussing a plan. Unlike Captain Weilman, Pixis didn't seem afraid of the Guyvers. It was a relief, and it gave Jean hope. Hope that he and the others might make it out of this alive.

Unless their higher-up didn't kill them first though, this looked to be a possible outcome for Daz; as he begun to draw his own blade before a Captain who was ready to cut him down. Jean noticed that Marco was by the moron's side, trying desperately to calm him down. It annoyed the young man, though he only showed it through a curl of his lips, to see his friend waste his efforts on Daz. Just as everyone knew Eren was a suicidal bastard, everyone knew that Daz was completely spineless. Truly unworthy of anyone's time or concern. It truly disgusted Jean to no end. Even after everything the Brothers had done, all the hope they had inspired, Daz was still willing to throw in the towel before the really fighting had even begun?!

How the sniveling fool had gotten past Keith Shadis was beyond him. He could still remember his first impression the man made on him when they met three years ago, he could not forget that ringing in his ears from the fucking headbutt he had gotten from him!

Jean turned his attention to Bertholdt, who stood beside him. His tall comrade, the timid friend of Reiner, was surprisingly composed given the circumstances; his jaw set and eyes steely. He didn't seem afraid at all, not like before when he was looking at the Guyvers, and while Jean wondered why he quickly lost interest. Looking around at the backs in front of him, the ash hair man could not see the familiar bulky form that was Reiner. He could, however, still see the blonde face in his mind. That look of bloodlust, it was burned onto his eyes. It shook him how someone so nonchalant could look so murderous.

He wondered just what the hell was going through the guy's head at the time.

Quiet sobs caught Jean attention and he turned to his left, and saw Mina digging her fingers into her scalp. Beside her was Annie.

"Mina, calm down. You're going making yourself worse" Annie's voice was like ice, without a whit of empathy that made Jean stomach turn slightly.

"I-" Mina choked on her sobs, looking tearfully at her friend. "I-I can't go back Annie, back to that Hell! After what happened to Thomas, Nac and Mylius, there's no way I can face those monsters again!" Her face went into her palms and she sobbed without much restraint.

Once again Jean felt that familiar sense of sympathy for the girl, and once again he offered her no words of comfort.

Annie's expression tightened for a few seconds, an unfamiliar gleam passing through her countenance, before it was covered over with a steely look. "Mina, look at me." When she didn't the first time, Annie repeated herself with more force, "Look at me!"

The girl flinched at the harsh tone, and looked fearfully at the blonde. Annie was always frightening, what with her icy cold stare, but she was even more so when angry. However, the short girl's look was that of determination.

"Stay by my side, despite what they might say. And no matter what, I promise, I will protect you!" Had Annie every spoken to someone with such passion? If she had, no one knew.

Regardless, the black hair girl nodded tearfully; her gratitude obvious. And, in another surprising show of passion, Annie pulled Mina into an embrace; one that the girl gladly accepted as she buried her face into her shoulder.

Jean could only stare, awestruck by the sight he thought he'd never live to see. His annoyance for before had been completely erased.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eren couldn't help up feel a sense of—awkwardness, at this current moment. Right now, he, the Brothers and Commander Pixis were strolling along the Wall while the sun glowered down upon them and the smoke of Trost continued to rise into the sky. Armin and Mikasa were with Dot's self-proclaimed council, most likely sorting out the plan to re-take Trost. It was possible, Eren knew, and that fact left little doubt in the boy's mind. Tentatively, he took a glance at the Brothers before quickly facing the structure he was walking on.

Five years had pass since Eren had last seen the Guyver, and they had never been far away from his thoughts since that day. He had imagined so many scenarios in how they would have met again, but now that they were actually here he found the reality to not be as he expected. Then again, things never go the way Eren Yeager wants them to; the universe just seems glad to screw him over at every corner.

The emerald eye boy just didn't know where to begin, where to start or even what to say. Even as they walked besides him, their metal feet resounding off the stone (he, along with pretty much everyone else, thinks it's stone) surface of the Wall, he just wasn't sure what to say to them.

Thus, it made him feel awkward in this deep silence.

Pixis, who shared the cadet's feelings to a degree, decided to break the silence. "It is said that before humanity fell to the power of the Titans, we constantly destroyed ourselves over differences; like race or principles. Supposedly, we needed an enemy greater than man to exist, so that we would stand together and end the fighting. It's a theory as to why humanity is in its current position. What do you think?" The question was posed mainly at Eren.

"I've heard that tale before," Eren responded after a moment's thought. He could remember Armin's grandfather telling him the story back when he was younger. "But," The boy's lips formed a grimace, "I think it's a too rosy. It's like something you tell a kid before they sleep."

The commander barked with laughter briefly, before turning to face Eren with a crooked grin, "I like the way you think, boy, you're almost as twisted and cynical as me."

They Guyver didn't particularly like the way the Commander worded that statement, but they keep their thoughts to themselves. No need to start an argument. That, and the small tale had gotten them curious.

Eren didn't like Dot's words either, so with a frown he justified his answer, "Well even though this powerful enemy has driven us into a corner, we're hardly united. The civil war form five years ago is proof of that." It was obvious that the powerful enemy of the tale referred to the Titans.

Dot nodded, his expression unknown due to him facing forward. They were coming up to where the cannons had been resting, the primitive weapons of death lined up while members of the Garrison regiment worked on them. The soldiers regarded the Guardians with shock, amazement and even fear. Eren noticed the latter emotion with interest and just a little bit of confusion, the Brothers and Commander didn't even seem to notice that there were other people. They all missed the look of terror form a certain blonde captain. "You are right there, Cadet. If we can't be united to begin with, then we can't fight the fight at all. What do you two think?" Now Pixis was asking the Guyvers.

Neither of the two answered immediately, until Yang decided to voice his view, "I agree with Eren, it's too optimistic. Even in the face of extinction, for whatever reason, you humans always tend to try and kill each other. It's the fundamental flaw of mankind: your inability to coexist with yourselves. Me and my brother have seen it countless times before."

"That's a interesting statement, coming from you," Pixis sounded unmoved by the Guyver's cold answer. Eren, on the other hand, had a face basked in naked surprise.

Yang didn't really care, "I protect humanity, doesn't mean I have to like you lot."

Eren felt his stomach drop at the remark. If that was true, and he was certain that the Guyver was being so, then did that mean that they didn't care at all for him? Did they just feel some sense of obligation to look out for him, the boy who was considered a freak, because they too were so alienated from everyone else?

He wasn't given the luxury of thinking on it, as the Commander suddenly offered him his silver container. "Care for a swing?" he asked. With a small stutter, the boy accepted the object. Perhaps some liquid would do him some good. Taking a large sip, Eren quickly regretted the action when it felt like his tongue was being burned right to the core. He immediately spat out the brown fluid and it splattered on the ground nosily.

Dot looked quite displeased as he took back the container and pocketed it, "what a waste" he muttered, as Eren coughed hoarsely with wide eyes. The Guyvers both sweat-dropped at the sight of the Commander turning his back on them both and continuing on as though Eren didn't sound like he was trying to hack up his heart. Luckily, the boy quickly regained his composure and begun walking again; his face a bright red from his embarrassing display. The Brothers followed behind him silently. Suddenly, Pixis asked Yin "what is your opinion, White Guardian?"

"I..." the proclaimed Guardian started, before trailing off. After a moment, he started again, "While I do understand Yang and Eren's hesitation to believe the tale, I would like to believe it. I would like to think that, when push comes to shove, humans are capable to putting asides their differences to fight the greater evil."

Eren blinked with surprise at the hopeful musing, quickly realising that the strong contrast in view matched perfectly with their theme. Just as he had deduced five years ago, they were almost parallels in every way, attitude included.

"The tales sing true, you and your brother are almost complete opposites in all regards" Pixis commented, unknowing voicing Eren's own thoughts on the matter.

Yin shrugged, and had the tiniest note of discomfort in his voice as he spoke, "we balance each other out; that's all there is to it. And if you don't mind, I'd like it more if you focused more on the task at hand than my and my brother's morality. You're meant to stop mass panic, aren't you?"

Pixis grinned, "Yes, you are quite right." He said, before he abruptly stopped and looked to the right. Eren and the Guyvers followed his gaze and saw that they had reached where all the trainees had been ordered to wait, standing bellow in a wave of flesh and uniforms. Even from fifty meter above ground level, Eren could just hear the murmurs of fear and pleading yells that wafted through the air like a thick fog.

The Guardians could hear them as though they were right next to the people uttering them.

The three of them watched curiously as Dot calmly walked forward until the tips of his feet were over the edge of the Wall. He cleared his throat, closed his eyes and become very still. Just as they begun to wonder what the bald man was up to, he suddenly bellowed, "ATTENNNNNNNTIOOOOOOON!"

The whole world went quiet, even the air seemed to still. All the cadets and military personnel looked upwards at the Garrison commander, their fear stopped if only for a few moments to be replaced with surprise. Eren and the Brothers could only stare at the man, dumbfounded. How the hell could a human, and an old one at that, shout in a way that almost put a Titan's roar to shame?!

The Garrison Commander stared down at the people below them with the most serious expression the trio had seen him express so far, he spoke in a voice that was loud and carried down to everyone's ears. "Take note, the blueprint for the Operation Trost Recovery is this: Our main goal is to seal the hole! Yes, you heard correctly! What's more, it shall be done manually!"

Immediately after he had said the words, the Guyver's advanced hearing picked up on the hushed whispers that followed. The cadets were confused, wondering how the task could possibly be done manually, what with their current technology. Others were silent, and few were exclaiming in either fear or glee. Glee from the fact that they could already guess as to what the Commander had in mind.

Pixis went on to answer the question that he was sure was on many of the soldiers' minds below, "Before I explain the means, I'd like you all to meet someone!" As though he was following some unspoken instructions, Eren walked forward until his toes were over the edge and saluted. Why exactly he did that escaped the Brothers, but then again they had never really seen the relevance of the action. Such military things were not, and never would be, their concerns. "This is Cadet Eren Yeager!"

The Guyvers tried to focus on specific people, the silver orbs on their heads moving forward silently, mainly the people who knew Eren and had witnessed him leaving his Titan 'puppet'. To their slight surprise, asides a few gasps, no one spoke. They were stunned to silence. Dot didn't even wait for the reveal to sink in, "Don't let appearances fool you, this young man is the shining achievement of cutting edge science; as incredible as it sounds Cadet Yeager has the ability to fabricate a Titan body at will!"

An interesting lie, the Brothers thought, but it got the job done. Now people were talking, asking their friends and selves if what the commander said was true. The Guyver didn't blame them; they didn't believe it either until they saw the boy leave the corpse. "Recall the boulder roughly a liege away from the gate, Cadet Yeager will hoist said boulder on his back, shove it into the hole and voila!" Pixis's hard glare didn't change an inch as he continued, "That is where you lot come in! Your task is not only to protect Eren Yeager from the other Titans, but to assist the Black and White Guardians as they help Cadet Yeager carry out the task! I kid you not, THE HEROES OF FIVE YEARS AGO HAVE RETURNED!"

The Brothers took that as their sign to step forward, though they did not salute, and once they did so the results were utterly staggering. The cadets and soldiers cheered. It filled the air, a refreshing sound to oppose all the screams and tears that had been given in the last three hours. While a good portion of the trainees saw the two previously, they were the ones who had been unfortunate enough to not make it over the Wall when the order to retreat came in. Those who had been lucky enough had not known of the two's arrival. The Guyvers shock was hidden under their amour, but Pixis and Eren were both grinning at the sight; the former considerably more so than the latter.

"QUIET!" Dot roared, instantly silencing all who cheered. Once it was quiet enough, he resumed "the Guardians have offered us their assistance in this operation! They will protect Eren Yeager from any nearby Titans, and will carry the boulder should he fail. As previously stated, it will be your duty to lessen the burden from the Brothers via luring the Titans away from the gate and to our chosen location on the other side of Trost; this will be your chance to prove to them that we can still fight!"

Pixis allowed that to sink in, and waited a minute for it to. Nobody left, nobody spoke up against him or his words. It was silent, like the fields beyond the Walls as told by the Survey Corps. Every man and woman down below was waiting for his next command, he could feel their hard glares on him as they waited impatiently. He couldn't believe it, they were all willing to fight. To die. Or rather, they wanted to prove themselves to the Guardians. Regardless of their reasons or motivations, none of them showed the desire to leave. In all his years of battle and as a Commander, Dot had never seen such determination in the prelude of battle. Pixis cheered inwardly, they might just pull this off yet.

"Now, think back to four and half years ago, back to the civil war! I'm willing to bet that many of you here lost someone during that month of pointless fighting! I'm sure you're already aware, but it was the King who distributed the order for us to exterminate those who were able to evacuate form Wall Maria; to lessen the number of those who needed to be feed! 'Operation Reclaim' was the cover name, but the people of Shinganshina saw through the disguise and fought back; turning us against each other! For the first time in history, man was fighting against himself! Though the numbers weren't what we feared they would be, everyone lost someone; and those who survived now either live on the streets or are condemned to live in the slums beneath Wall Shina! This is a sin that the whole of humanity bares, me included!"

The old man's face briefly shined with guilt, which was only seen by Eren and the Guyvers, before he smothered it over with a mask of determination. "I bring up this blight on our history, not to ask for forgiveness by those who have lost someone dear, but to make you think: what about next time?! If this mission should fail, if it should, then Wall Shina will have no chance in hell of supporting those who live in Wall Rose! The supplies and our means to live will be gone in a matter of days! Humanity won't die out because of the Titans, we will be destroyed be by each other; we will fall into another civil war!"

Pixis threw out his arms, and suddenly starting roaring as though he had sucked all the air in the area, "IF WE MUST DIE THIS DAY, THEN LET IT NOT BE INSIDE A WALL AND AGAINST EACH OTHER! LET IT BE AGAINST THE TITANS, AS WE SHOW THEM WHAT HUMANS ARE CAPABLE OF!"

"YEAH!" Every person bellow screamed in agreement, to the point where one would think they would spontaneously combust.

Eren understood how they felt: elated, powerful, unstoppable. It was exactly as he felt. He didn't know if he was strong enough to fill the hole, but he would be damned if he wasn't gonna try! He had to succeed. Just as Pixis has said, it was his task to prove himself. "But now it won't just be me" a long time ago, Eren would have felt intimidated if someone else wished to prove themselves to the Brothers and would act better than him. But that has passed with his age, and now the boy felt only joy that the Guyvers would see humanity at its best. Not like the pathetic display that had been shown back in Shinganshina.

Looking at his idols form the corner of his eyes, he felt his lips twitch with the urge to smile as he thought "now we'll show you that we can fight, and I'll show you that I can save this city."

If they believed that he could do it, then that was all he needed.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few minutes later.

"I hope you are aware that I am breaking many rules by allow you and your brother to look out for the boy, unaccompanied." Pixis's look of discomfort stood against Yang's emotionless crimson face, his golden eyes staring into the Guyver's glowing ones.

"Right now, are rules really more important than the lives of all the humans past this town?" The Guardian asked rhetorically, already guessing the man's answer.

He was surprising himself by how at ease he was around the military commander, in any other circumstance he would be incredibly tense and uncomfortable, his hatred of all things related to governments leaking off him like an aura. But the Commander wasn't like others he had met in the past, from his world, nor was he like the soldiers and that cowardly Captain he had the misfortune of meeting so far. Pixis knew the situation in its fullest, understood the problem and knew the steps of how to take them. However horrible they would be. While the Brothers weren't keen on the idea of using others to distract the Titans, they knew that didn't have any other choice. The Commander knew this too.

The old man sighed deeply, "I'm sure you already know the answer." He gave the Guardian a very pointed look, and Yang had to admit that the man had some serious balls to look at him like that. There were they few humans who could look at him dead in the eyes without flinching. He then uttered, "Prove to me that I am not mistaken in mind."

Looking back at Pixis's face, the Guyver said in a steely voice "I'll make sure of it." He then turned his back to the man, and walked over to Eren and Yin. He noticed that Armin and Mikasa had come around as well.

"One more thing!" Dot called out, making the Guyver stop. He turned only his head back as a sign that he had heard the man. "How will I know that you and your brother have started the mission?"

Yang answered after a brief pause, "You'll know when you see it", before he started walking again.

Yang wasn't a fool nor was he inconsiderate. He knew exactly what Dot was asking of him and his brother. He was putting his trust in Eren, a person that the man didn't fully understand or trust. He was worried because of that, of the possibility of what could go wrong because of the boy's unknown power. He trusted the Brothers with the task of watching over him, without being accompanied by any members of the Garrison, something Yang understood went against the rules (something he could really care less about).

The Commander was a sore loser, the man himself and Yang knew that, but if it meant the first true victory of the human race then it was a chance the man was willing to take.

Yang honestly respected him for that.

"I'm sorry, Eren" Armin's voice brought the older Guyver back to the present. He stopped, and took in the scene before him. Armin was by Eren's side, looking guilty, and Mikasa was by Eren's other side, her face holding the concern an older sibling would have for their younger one. He recognised that feeling. Yin was standing by the edge of the wall, arms crossed and staring out into the city, the setting sun shining off his blue armour. The sky was a deep orange with hints of purple; night would be upon them all soon. "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be in this position. With everyone depending on you" the blonde continued mournfully.

Eren smiled reassuringly at his friend, "Stop apologising Armin. You have a gift for strategy, that's a fact, and you should undermine it." When the emerald eye boy finally took notice of the crimson Guyver, his smile turned into a grin. "Besides, I'll have them by my side. I'll be fine, Armin, your plan's gonna work flawlessly."

Armin did not look convinced; he actually looked more put off. Suddenly, he hissed "it shouldn't be you!" Eren and Mikasa flinched at his tone, the Guyvers didn't. The blonde turned his eyes, sky blue eyes dark with anger, on the Black Guardian. "You two should be the ones out there, fighting right now and sealing the breach, not Eren! Isn't that what your purpose is?!" There was an undertone of raw hate in the boy's voice. noticed only by the Brothers.

"Armin!" Eren snapped dangerously, his countenance darkening.

"Enough!" Yang shouted, his tone making the three humans flinch with surprise. All anger and tension left the boy's faces, replaced with fear. Allowing the silence to live for a few seconds, the blood red Guyver stated "I know we could do this easily, Armin, trust me I do. But Eren has to do this! If he didn't, you three would be either shot or taken away to some hole and have the shit beaten out of you while the higher ups try to find out what Eren is!" Yang took a breath to calm himself, briefly taking note of the look of realisation on the blonde's face on the fact he hadn't considered, "And I'm sure you can tell that we don't want that to happen. By doing this, Eren will prove that he is on humanity's side." The being of legend turned to Eren, looking into him with is piercing eyes. "And he's right; we won't let anything happen to him. Ain't that right Yin?"

There was no response.

"Yin?" Turning, the four saw that the blue and white Guyver was still looking out into the city. Trost was still burning, not surprising of course. These humans didn't have a water system to put them out; they'd rather just wait for the fire to die. It was still hard to believe that only a few hours ago, it was once a lively little town. Now, it was only a place for monsters, soldiers and beings believed to be Gods with the stench of death in the air. Yang frowned though it went unseen; his brother was deep in thought, so much so he didn't even register the conversation happening behind him. Stepping forward until he was behind him, Yang placed his left hand tentatively on his brother's shoulder, "Bro?"

The younger Guyver flinched, his shoulders jerking as he was brought out of his mind and back into reality. He was still for a moment, blinking Yang thought, before he turned to face him and apologised "sorry, I was far away."

The elder's sigh was barely audible; his brother was still so polite when he had no need to be. Well, he guessed, one of them had to be. His smirk was hidden beneath his armour, "It's fine bro, what's on your mind?"

Yin sighed and looked away; hesitantly he murmured, "it…doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't?"

"All of this," the white muscle Guyver briefly gestured to the city, "It's been nearly three hours since the Colossal Titan appeared and the Armoured Titan has yet to near his metal head. Back in Shiganshina, he appeared not even half an hour later."

"So?" Yang didn't see what his brother was getting at, bringing up a monster who Yang had wanted to destroy completely.

Yin made a small, frustrated noise in the back of his throat, "It's just…doesn't make sense! Right now would be the most optional time to attack, but yet there hasn't been so much of a glimpse of him. Why not attack now, when the enemy is at their weakest?"

Yang picked upon the rhetorical question, and gave his own answer "maybe he chose not to appear, in fear of us."

The younger Guyver gave a small 'mm' of acknowledgement, and then said, "Or maybe he's among us, waiting to slide in the knife."

The red Guyver moved back slightly, his hand falling form his brother's shoulder as he instantly understood the meaning of Yin's words, "Are you saying…" he trailed off, the thought was hard to finish.

"I think it's safe to conclude that the Armoured and the Colossal Titan are the same as Eren, people who can fabricate a Titan body" Yin stated, his voice become cold and professional. "Who they are and what their intentions are, God knows. But what I do know: is that if there is any safe place for the enemy to hide in plain sight, it would be among the ranks of humanity." The blue Guyver turned to face his bother, "Let's keep this to ourselves for now, no need for us to cause anymore problems than we already have."

The older brother's grimace was felt when he spoke, "Sounds familiar doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does" the younger brother breathed, his voice like a flip of a scalpel as he turned back to look at Trost. For a moment, neither brother felt nothing but each other's presence. For a single moment, they were all alone and it was bliss. They stood alone before a burning city. A familiar scene, but a different setting.

Then the spell faded away, and Yin turned away and walked towards the trio of humans (they had not heard the conversation, which Yin was thankful for) with his brother a step behind. "Sorry about the wait," Yin apologised once again, "I was just letting my thoughts be known to my brother. Now that that's been taken care of, we can continue with the task at hand." He looked at Armin and then at Mikasa, "You two should get going, you've got your duties to perform."

Armin nodded, his face set and lacking any of the anger that had been present before, but Mikasa did not move as the boy ran past her. "I'm coming with you" she said, straight faced towards Eren.

"Pardon/What?!" Yin, Eren and Yang all asked at the same time. The Shifter recovered quickly, and scowled at his sister, "No way! You're with Armin and the others, that's your post!"

"I don't give a damn!" Mikasa snarled, "After what happened last time, I refuse to leave you alone again!"

Eren ran a hand through his hair, trying his best not to scream with frustration. "Why can't you just trust me, trust me to be safe, for once?!"

"Because you're an impatient idiot with no regard for yourself and the feeling of others around you!" Mikasa hissed, through with being so impassive about her care for the boy. She felt that it was time that she finally drilled in the fact that she wasn't going to leave his side. She smothered away any guilt she felt when Eren's face adopted a slightly hurt look. "I asked you not to die in Trost, it was my only request when you didn't let me come with you, and you couldn't even-"

"I KNOW!" Eren's shout was so sudden that even the Guyvers flinch in surprise. Mikasa's defiant look quickly became that of surprise and hurt. Seeing this, Eren deflated and the anger left his face; he then looked much more tired and it gave him an aged look that almost matched Dot's face. "I know, Mikasa, I failed to keep your request. I screwed up, I let you down, and I let everyone else down too!" That familiar feeling of self-hate, that burning fire that seared the boy's soul five years ago and various times since, briefly blossomed in his chest but he contained it. Better to let it out on the Titans than his sister.

"But that won't happen again!" His scowl was defiant with emerald eyes of fire, to fate or some cruel god was debatable, "I'm not going to fail this time, I am going to save Trost and master my ability; whatever it is." His eyes softened, "But I don't want to drag you with me, Sis. Where I'm going is a place for monsters and Gods, not humans." Using the term 'sis' left an odd feeling on the boy's tongue, a bitter yet nostalgic taste, he realised that he hadn't actually used the word in many years. He couldn't remember though if it was since the Fall or before that, those childhood memories were becoming more distant with each passing day.

The raven hair girl looked more upset than she did before, though it was difficult to tell if it was due to Eren's heartfelt words or the fact that he was still pushing her away. She opened her mouth to speak but, before she could get a word out, Eren added "And they need you more than I do, you know that. The needs of the many outweigh the need of the few."

He couldn't remember where he heard that saying, but it did the trick in persuading Mikasa. Her head hung low and her expression desolate, she nodded, uttering a small "okay."

Eren smiled sympathetically at his step sister. Despite what she and everyone thought, he did know how much he meant to her; he really did. After Shinganshina fell, as well as almost losing his mother, Eren had realised just how much family meant to him. He suddenly learned that his sister, mother, father and best friend were the most important things in his life and that he couldn't stand to lose them. When his father disappeared, it hurt. More than anything, to never see the man who had raised him again, and it had hurt more so to see how much it affected his mother. He fought against the pain though, and turned it into the fire to fuel him into achieving his dream. He also learned to understand people at bit more, to not always expect the worst of people. Granted, he still got into fights and made a few enemies, but he was certainly better than he was before.

Eren needed Mikasa to understand that he wasn't some kid anymore, that he wasn't that little hothead who constantly got into fights with the local bullies (who he's convinced are dead and gone, he hasn't seen a jot of them in these past five years), he was older and stronger now; and he knew what to do with himself. He was not on a path to destruction, not like everyone thought due to the lies he's spun all these years; he was on a path to be recognised. And today, he would finally take that first great step.

Taking her chin between his thumb and index finger, Eren lifted her head so he could stare into her eyes. "I'll come back to you" he swore, moving his palm so it laid over her cheek, "And then we can go back home to Mom."

Tears welled in Mikasa eyes for a moment, before she nodded and pulled away from Eren and his warm hand. She rubbed her eyes almost angrily, and then turned to face the Guyvers. Her glare was threatening and dangerous, emphasised almost by her red rimmed eyes like before when they all believed that the boy was gone, standing against the Guardian's lantern like eyes. "Make sure no harm comes to him" that was all, no more was said from her as she then broke into a run and was gone.

They three watched her go, until Yin broke the silence that was filled only with the wind, "You are aware, Eren, that sometimes the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many."

"I am" the young solider said seriously, turning his gaze back to the blue warrior. For the first time, he stared into those red eyes without apprehension, "But they need her skills more than I do. And besides," his face cracked a grin, "I have you two by my side, my safety is certain."

There was an impression of a smile in Yin voice when he said softly, "Yes, quite." It was gone when he next stated "now let's go, and get this done."

And they were off, running to the checkpoint where the boulder would be located.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sir, with all due respect, are you certain that it was a good idea to let the boy and the Guardians go alone?"

Dot looked away form the shrinking backs of the trio and down at the silver haired woman, Rico Brzenska, one of the best team leader from Captain Weilman's command. Behind her was Ian Dietrich and Mitabi Jarnach, two of his other best leaders. These were the three people he would have sent to watch over the boy and Brothers, before he thought better of it. They all looked worried, hopeless even, as though they saw no hope in the plan Pixis had roared out earlier. "I am certain" he replied to Rico's enquiry, straight faced.

The troubled look on Mitabi's face grew tenfold, "But sir, you didn't even give them a signal flare! How are we suppose to know if the boy transforms, or if they even start the mission?!"

Dot regarded the bearded man calmly, "The Black Guardian said that we'd know when we see it. I feel that there is no reason to doubt those words."

"Sir, we have many reasons to doubt those words" Ian spoke up, his face twisting with bitterness. "The Guardians promised, five years ago, that they would return humanity to it's former glory (if we ever had one) and they disappeared and allowed the Titans to run rampant. Whose to say that they won't abandon us now and let the Titans overwhelm us this time?"

"You sound like Captain Weilman" The Commander noted with obvious disappointment.

"Most of what the Captain said before held much true," Rico countered, the tone of her voice as bitter as Ian's face. All three of them resented the Guyvers. "They did abandon us with we needed them the most."

Dot sighed heavily, his winkled face showing all the years of grief and death that he had witnessed in his time as Commander. He knew the risks, of course he did, one doesn't become a Commander simply by luck (though there hasn't been another Garrison Commander since Dot took the position forty two years ago). But he was willing to make the decisions that no-one else would. If it meant the survival of humanity, then he would gladly send a thousand soldiers under the Guardians care. But there was more to his reasons than simply his twisted morality.

It was because he believed him them.

Just as he had witnessed earlier, he saw the positive results of the Brother's existence and he saw the courage and will of the next generation of soldiers was like nothing he had never seen before. Yes they disappeared and caused a lot of problems for humanity, but in Pixis's mind, the hope they had inspired outweighed those problems. It was because of that, that he was willing to place his trust in them. And in the boy.

Looking back at the three before him, he simply stated, "Have faith, that's all I can say."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The run to the boulder was quiet, the silence that covered the trio was only hit by the sound of their feet against the stone surface of the Wall and Eren's breathing. The Brother didn't breath, or rather, they didn't make a sound that would suggest that they were breathing. The young Yeager glanced at his childhood heroes and saw that their red eyes stared only forwards, only focusing on the task at hand.

They did not tell the boy to get ready, they did not say anything about the countless lives that could be lost should he cock up, they did not say anything.

It was—oddly comforting.

Eren saw as a sign of their trust in him, they didn't feel the need to remind him of what was happening, they just expecting him to do the task. It was still so strange. They had only meet under circumstance, once five years ago, and even then they still did not know Eren on any personal level but yet they had full faith in him. It was strange, but at the same time it felt like a privilege to Eren. They trusted him like no other, they willing fought to keep him safe, and they were even allowing the glory of their victory to be his.

It was the same selflessness form before; one Eren was planning on repaying fully.

"Look, that must be the boulder!" Yang suddenly exclaimed, his right arm extended and pointing, and Eren followed it and saw that they were indeed getting close to it. Form their current position; they were roughly about ten or so blocks away.

"Let's go!" Yin snarled with determination, charging to the edge of the wall and jumping. Eren and Yang followed in suit. The feeling of the air washing over Eren like great waves of water was refreshing, drying away the sweat that had clung to his brow until he almost felt cold. Then, he shot out a cable and it stabbed into the cobblestone structure of one of Trost's many watch towers. The gears awoke and pulled and turned, shooting the boy forward as the cable retracted.

A sound similar to cannon fire yet completely different at the same time filled the boy's ears, and he spared a glance to see the Brothers flying after him; their bodies straight like rods.

Eren continued shooting out his cables and stabbing them into the towers, using his gas to give himself extra speed as he brought himself closer and closer to the boulder with the Guyvers not far behind him, the anticipation rising every time he pasted over a building. This feeling was not unusual to Eren, the way if filled him from the pit of his heart to his fingertips; making his hands nearly tremble. He tried to contain his eagerness as best as he could, but he could not stop the large smile that graced his lips. It was not a normal smile, it was a smile fit for a savage.

The Brothers themselves were not without their own feelings of the upcoming challenge, both felt anticipation run through their blood like a sweet poison. In a few minutes, they would see just how well Eren could control his ability.

The boulder was in Eren's sight, just two blocks away, and his savage smile became a large manic grin.

His gear reeled in his cables and gave one last burst from his gas cylinders, sending him high into the air, he then stared down at the boulder; his shadow all but a tiny black speak on the ground bellow. What happened next was something the boy did on some unknown reflex; he lifted his right hand to the rim of his lip, opened his mouth and sunk his teeth into his flesh. He tasted blood, his blood, heard a sound like the very earth itself was cracking in half and was then engulfed in a moist blackness—

There was an explosion of neon green and gold, briefly painting the world in the bright colours. Dot stared at the sight with awe as lighting, looking as though it was from God Himself, struck the area. It was shortly followed by flashes of blue and red. He smiled, that was the Brothers' colours, that was the sign.

"The mission is a go!" he bellowed, snapped all the soldiers around him out of their daze. immediately, he had their attention. "Continue with your set assignments, the battle has begun!"

He then looked at Rico, Ian and Mitabi. "Go and assist the trainees, offer as much help as you can!" They saluted and left, the old man noticing the determination carved onto their faces.

Dot looked back to the area where the colours had shone and uttered lowly in a dark voice, "Prove yourself our ally, Yeager."

The Guyvers crashed into the ground in their fifteen meter height; kicking up dirt and broken up cobblestone. Shifting between their normal six foot height to average Titan height was becoming more and more easier for them, mainly thanks to their Unit's adaptation ability. If they put their minds to it, they could most likely gain the height of the Colossal; but that was something to try later.

Before them, a thud happened, bringing them back to the present.

Looking up from their kneeling positions, they watched with silent awe as Eren's Titan form (The Rouge Titan, they called it. It fitted so well, they thought) rose to its full height from the building it had crashed into and roared a roar like a ultimate monster into the sky; emerald eyes glowing with the same intensity as the Guardians' own eyes.

Yin was standing in an instant, looking at the boulder and then back to Eren, "Are you ready, Eren?"

The Rouge Titan glared at the White and Black Guardians with utter determination, before raising its left hand and pointed its thumb skywards.

Both the Brothers jumped for joy silently.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SLICE!

SPLAT!

"YEAH, take that you ugly SOB!"

Mina could only stare, numbly, at the sight of Jean hacking off the neck of a thirteen meter Titan; the monster's eyes losing all light as it collapsed with a shuddering 'thud'. She watched Jean land safely on the building before her, glowing with pride and grinning with malicious glee. His blades were stained with blood, blood that was quickly evaporating out of existence.

Her own hanged limply in her fingers.

Another Titan behind the young man brought down its hand in an attempt to crush him, but Jean saw the attack coming a mile away and shot out a cable to the building behind the Titan. The giant palm slammed into the tile roof, sending shatter pieces into the air and spiderweb like cracks snaking over the roof. He flew around the Titan, the obese monster's movements slow and predictable, before he brought his blades down on the nap with a ferocious roar. Blood splattered out, along with a chunk of steaming flesh, and the Titan fell. Jean landed in the same position as before, crimson splattered over his uniform, inhaling deeply. His grin had turned into a small, unnerving smile, his eyes were narrowed slits and his body still radiated with an aura of pride.

She was trembling, she was terrified. "I can't do this" she thought, the words sounding as broken as she felt. Despite the help she received from Annie prior to Commander Pixis's speech, and the inspiration that he then went on to inspire, she still could not bring herself to act. The faces of Nac, Mylius and Thomas (especially Thomas, his expression of horrified despair before the Titan swallowed him whole) were flashing before her eyes and she found her body feeling like it had turned to stone.

A question ran through Mina's mind: "Why am I even here?"

Of course, she knew why.

Having grown up in the Stohess District of Wall Shina, Mina came from a wealthy, well-to-do family. Being their only child, her parents always spoiled her; buying her almost anything she could ever desire. Her family had wealth, status and a nice home that was far away from any possible Titan attacks. And most importantly, they had each other. Despite their wealth, the Carolina family valued their family members above all else. It was the kind of family everybody wanted, the perfect family.

But Mina? She hated it.

She did not hate her parent, nor did she completely despise being wealthy (it certainly had its advantages). Mina hated the way her parents treated her. As she was her only child, the parents not only spoiled her but they were greatly protective of her, she could recall days of her youth were they would protect her form the smallest of things. While this did change ash she got older, they still were quite overprotective. She was their precious girl, their delicate Mina. And that's what she hated about it. She did not fault her parents for their behaviour, as she was sure that if she was a mother (she empathised if) she would be very much the same, but it still bothered her greatly.

Then, when Wall Maria fell, she saw this as her chance to prove herself. To show her parents that she wasn't delicate, that she could stand on her own two feet and walk. And, more importantly, fight. Her parents, to her surprise, did not oppose her wish as much as she had expected. While her father became teary eyed, he was always a sensitive man, she explained that she felt it was her duty that she go and help in the battle to push back the Titans. They were proud of her, and thus gave her permission to go on one exception: to come back to them, in one piece. After many tears and goodbyes, she left for the Training Crops.

She soon learned that she was the only person from Stohess, perhaps even from Wall Shina, to join. A fact Keith Shadis made a point to scream in her face, and let everyone know. Unsurprisingly, Mina was soon picked on due to her status and wealth. The thing that did surprise her was when it started. She had the misfortune of being paired with a girl who had been on the receiving end of life during physical combat training, and was barely able to defend herself from the girl's hate filled attacks. However, she was saved by Annie; and slowly became friends with the stoic girl.

As she gradually made the blonde open up more, she expressed her will to fight the Titans but was quickly chided by Annie. She told her that she owed no favour to humanity, and that she had no need to prove herself to her parents by fighting; she further added that her death by the Titans would be a meaningless death. Mina quickly found herself doubting was she wanted to do with herself, her dreams plagued with gruesome images on how her death may go out, and thus decided to hold back on her decision until it was time for graduation.

She then met Eren Yeager and ever since the graduation ceremony, Mina's mind had been in turmoil over what path she should take. She could listen to Annie's advice and join the Military Police, or she could follow Eren and join the Survey Corps. Though, she had to admit: the idea of become one of humanity's warriors against the Titans was a very appealing idea.

Then today rolled over and the rest was history, history that happened only a few hours ago. Her friends had died, her ally had the ability to turn into the very creatures that murdered the aforementioned friends, and on top of it all the heroes of five years ago had returned. It was all too much. Why had she survived? Why didn't she just die, back then, in that desolate street? Why did-

"Oh," it hit Mina like a physical blow, and she smiled sadly. Tears welled in her eyes. "That's it."

Ever since Yin had saved her, she had been living on borrowed time. For each of her friend's life, an hour had been added to hers. Three friends, Nac, Myluis and Thomas, three hours. And, those hours were up.

A shadow loomed over, blanketing her in darkness, and Mina moved only her eyes to confirm that it was a Titan standing before her. The dopey eye monster just stared down at her, a drooling grin leered over its face, and it slowly raised an arm with obvious intent. Mina closed her eyes, this was it. This was the end. Her comrades' lives had allowed her to see her friends one last time, to see Annie and meet the Guardians. Now it was time for the curtain to close on her sad performance.

Once again, she found herself thinking "I'm sorry Mom, Dad…I failed…"

The hand of the Titan opened widely, slowly moving towards her.

"My dream…is to explore the outside world."

The hand got closer—

"How many of your friends have died today, how many people that you loved have been slain by those monstrosities that walk through your streets?!"

Closer—

"If you die now…then all the people who died today would have died for nothing."

The palm of the Titan's hand was only four feet away, the bony fingers beginning to curl around the girl's body. Onyx eyes snapped open, and Mina screamed. Her arms suddenly came to life, and in a downwards slash, she sliced off all four of the Titan's fingers; the severed digits already dissolving away. The monstrosity roared, pulling back its damaged hand before it brought down its other. It smashed into the tile roof with a mighty crash, but Mina had already jumped off said roof. She granted her waist, and shot out her cable; the cold metal stabbing itself into the monster's right eye.

The Titan roared again, its head jerking up and bringing Mina with it. Ejecting a burst of gas from her cylinders and using the extra momentum, Mina retracted her cable from the Titan and soon found herself soaring above the Titan's head; the creature in question was busy covering its bleeding eye. Her eyes wide and deadly, Mina screamed once again as she spun her body and dug her blades into the Titan's neck. The monster stopped screaming, and Mina felt blood gush over her.

Landing softly onto the ground, thanks to her training, Mina looked up as her victim collapsed upon the house before her. She looked down at her crimson stained blades, awestruck. "I did it…" she whispered, almost too afraid to speak up.

"Mina!" said girl flinched when her name was spoken, and it took her moment to recognise its owner. Turning to her right, she saw Annie jog towards her. Stopping just before her, Annie gave the taller girl a harsh glare. "I saw everything" she said plainly, yet her eyes were like icy fire.

Mina blinked, a cold feeling in her stomach. An angry Annie was never a good thing. "Saw what?" she didn't bother to hide the fear in her voice.

"You, standing there as a Titan reached out for you!" there were few people who'd seen Annie show such emotion openly, and Mina was one of them. After today, she may just be the only one. "If you hadn't acted sooner, I would've had to do something!" she almost reminded Mina of her mother from some of her earliest memories.

And, like she did back then, she lowered her head and mumbled a meek "sorry."

Annie sighed, the anger leaving her face and her body loosening. She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Don't ever do that again." She ordered, with an undertone that showed her warning. Looking at the steaming corpse with something akin to forlornness, she then muttered "I'm just glad you're safe."

Mina blushed at that, having concerned being shown by Annie was more uncomfortable than the fear of being scolded by her.

Tucking her lose bangs behind her ear, Annie's eyes caught something behind Mina. She breathed with amazement, "well I'll be damned," and Mina turned to see what had her friend so entranced. She quickly saw what. There, far down the street, three giants walked. One was blue. One was red. And the last carried a boulder, nearly twice its size, above its head. "My God" Mina uttered, "that's…really Eren?!"

Annie did not reply, and Mina missed the small smile that grew on the short blonde's lips.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eren's body felt like it as on fire.

The feeling of being inside a Titan body, the feeling of his limbs extended into this weird fleshy puppet, was indescribable. At best, Eren felt like he had grown to Titan size and that it was he himself that was carrying the boulder. He knew it wasn't, but it still felt like he was. The boulder was above his head, the butt of it just touching his Titan head. His entire was steaming in, as far as Eren could understand, an effort to stop him from being crushed. Every step sent waves of pain through his body from the boulder's crippling weight, his arms protested due to the strain they were enduring to the point he was sure they'd snap, and the left side of his face was crushed against his shoulder. Literally, he could even see out his left eye.

But Eren refused, absolutely refused, to allow the pain to get on top of him. The pushed it aside, focusing only on the task that was given to him: Plug up the hole, save Trost. That was it, that was all he had to do and dammit, he was gonna do it!

His right eye, his last eye, stared at the Guardian before him. Yin was before him, his hands throwing balls of blue energy which exploded the Titans' heads upon impact. A smaller, maybe ten meters, one charged at his leg but Yin saw it coming a mile away. Pulling back his left leg, he then shot it out and sent the monster flying. Eren felt a twinge of pleasure at the sight of the Titan, destroyed beyond recognition, flew over the buildings in a bloody mess. Yang was behind him, covering his back, but Eren could not see the Black Guardian's attacks. All he could hear though, was wet tear sounds and the splattering of blood on earth. It sound messy, and Eren loved it.

He came to a sudden realisation: He was actually doing it. He had finally stood at equal (not complete equal though) height with the Brothers and was helping them save humanity. His childhood dream, the dream he had strived for these past five years, had finally been realised. It filled the boy with joy, with purpose. This was what his life had been all about: to help the Guardians and show them that he could fight. That he was not weak. Once this was over he hoped, beyond all things, that he would be told as such or gain some form of praise.

Yin's voice brought him back to reality, and Eren saw though his remaining eye that the Guyver had turned to face him, "Keep going Eren, you're almost there!"

It was a simple encouragement, but it filled Eren with such power. Suddenly he felt a burst of strength and, with a low growl, his arms moved upwards. The pressure on him disappeared and he moved his head, the left side of his face regenerating quickly. He roared, proudly, both eyes glowing and he continued his trek towards the breach. However, gravity was cruel. Gravity obeyed no one. And the force pulled the boulder down, causing Eren to give a strangled yelp as his arms bent and the boulder touched the back of his Titan skull.

"Don't push yourself, Eren!" Yang chided, his gruffness undoubtedly due to the tenseness of the mission. "Just focus on sealing the breach, don't try anything reckless."

"His right," Eren thought, cursing his own cockiness. Everyone always said it would be the death of him, and for it to affect him now was unacceptable. Pushing all distracting thoughts out of his mind, Eren dug his fingers into the boulder and kept him arms steady; focusing solely on the gaping black hole in the Wall. He steps were thundering against the earth bellow him. He noticed the soldiers watching him, gaping at the sight of him. They weren't even fighting, they were just leaving it to Yin and Yang. It filled Eren with disgust, the same contempt that he's felt for humanity for the past five years, and yet at the same time he felt elated.

Let them watch, he thought viciously. They were puny, they were weak, and they were powerless against him and the Brothers. Let them watch as he did what they could never do. He was, and will always, be different to them. He had power, he had conviction, and he had a purpose. The seal was right before him, "GOOOOO!" screamed the Brothers in unison and the word mixed with his bellowing roar.

"I WILL ALWAYS FIGHT!"

The boulder flew over his head, and it crashed against the seal. A shockwave ran out, spider web cracks crawled over the Wall, and everything became still. "I…I did it!" the Rouge Titan rose to its full fight and roared with victory, the sound echoing over the world.

Pixis smiled at the bloodthirsty sound, "It is done," he proclaimed.

Covering his left ear, his right arm pointed skyward. In his hand was a signal flare gun, he pulled the trigger and green smoke shot out.

The Trost Recovery Operation was completed.

Now, it was time for the clean up round.

The Rouge Titan stumbled back from the boulder, exhausted, before it found itself caught in some caring arms. "You alright, Eren?" Yin questioned, the concern in his voice obvious. The Rouge turned to face the White Guardian and nodded its conformation. One thing Eren had learned about this puppet's body: it could not speak. He imaged it was due to the lack of lips.

Yin nodded himself, and along with Yang gently pushed Eren forward and onto his feet. At his full height, Eren turned to face the Guyvers. It was Yang who spoke first, stating simply "excellent work, Eren, you saved Trost." Eren would have gone bright red at the praise if he wasn't encased in flesh, so he only showed his surprise and embarrassment through the Rouge's wide eyes and a jerky nod.

Yin turned, facing the south-east part of the Wall. Even form this distance, all three of them could see the black dots that were the soldiers holding the Titan's attention, hanging from their cables like bait on fishing rods. The rest, that hadn't been so easily fooled or simply were more interested on Eren and the Brothers, had already been eliminated.

The blue and white Guyver smiled under his armour, "how about we put on a show?" he offered casually. Yang's interests piped at the word 'show', instantly getting ideas on what his younger brother meant and various scenarios playing through his mind. Eren growled eagerly, as for him the word meant only one thing: show the weaklings how it's done. Without even waiting form the Guardians' words, he broke into a sudden sprint and made his way to the enemies that awaited him.

No, not enemies. Pests.

Inferiors.

They would be nothing compared to his strength and intelligence. He would kill them all!

The Guyvers watched the Rouge go with amusement, finding its eagerness quite nostalgic. The hard part was over, not they could do the easy part at their leisure. Without even looking, Yang asked his brother, "Wanna be a bit theatrical, bro?"

"Oh God, yes" there was obvious bliss in Yin breathy, distorted reply.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Armin knew, from the moment he followed Eren into the Training Corps, that he would never make an excellent soldier. He was weak, dainty, fragile and above all else he lacked the will to kill. Armin knew that, unlike Eren and Mikasa who could fight and kill without hesitation, he would never be able to have that sort of will. He just couldn't, even if he hated the Titan with a passion like the burning of the sun.

Even after earlier today, when he attacked Yin, he still believed he couldn't. He contributed that incident to the despair he felt when he believed to have been responsible for Eren's death. That, and reasons he really didn't want to think about now.

However, he had come to understand that he had a mind that few could rival. He could plan, strategize, and thinks things through better than most high ranking soldiers. That's why, he knew that what he was doing right now was absolutely crazy!

He was supported by his cables, stabbed firmly into the structure that was Wall Rose, staring grimly into the hundreds of horrible faces of the Titans before him. They all varied in size and looks, but all were there for the same fundamental reason. When Commander Pixis had explained the purpose that he and the others would be taking, he had thought of many ways they could have attract the Titans. However, with the knowledge they had, his mind ultimately came to the same conclusion that Pixis had: they had to all be together and draw the Titans into one spot. The Titan's ate for pleasure, they could find a person via their scent, so it made sense that if they all stood together that the Titans would be so overwhelmed by their desire that they would all converge on the same place.

However, just because it was logical, didn't mean that he had to enjoy it. Nor did anyone for that matter. "Oh man, this is crazy!" glancing to his right, the blonde saw Frantz's face was as white as a sheet. Hannah was not far from him, and she looked not better than her boyfriend. Looking to his left, Armin saw that Mikasa was as unflappable as always. Her face blank of emotions, her eyes showed only her steely resolves to kill, her blades gleamed in the setting sun. She truly was the perfect soldier, and sometimes Armin pitied the person who would one day be with her.

"As I doubt it will ever be Eren" he thought, but wasn't given the luxury of thinking about his friend's possible future romances. A roar, loud and brutal, exploded in Armin's ears. Turning his head in the direction of the inhuman sound, Armin saw Eren in his Titan form jump over a building and throw a punch right into the face of a Titan.

An explosion of blood happened, and the Titan flew backwards missing half of its head. The other Titans attention immediately went from the humans to the Shifter.

Eren roared, unmoved by the numbers stacked before him, and immediately attacked. His left fist shot out, smacking into a Titan's face and sending it backwards. Right after, his right fist flew upwards in an uppercut, liquefying the victim's face.

Another Titan, a meter smaller than him, grabbed into his left arm with both hands and squeezed. Eren responded immediately, bringing his right arm down in an axe like fashion and breaking both of the Titan's wrists. His own were unharmed. He then followed with a brutal haymaker, the back of his right fist sending the Titan spinning and into the others that were behind it.

Snarling and fuelled on bloodlust, Eren grabbed the arms of another Titan and slammed his forehead against its own. The Titan flew back into the crowd, lacking both arms and shoulders. Holding both severed arms like clubs, Eren turned and faced a Titan that was the same size as him. He swung both the arms, each shoulder hitting one side of the Titan's face, and glee filled Eren's heart when the Titan's head was crushed like a dead leaf under a shoe. Dropping the now useless weapons, Eren's leg shot up and the sole of his foot slammed into the Titan's body; the carcass slammed into the horde behind it.

However, the others just walked over it and towards Eren. The boy quickly realised that he was surrounded in a circle, one that was shrinking fast. Regardless, he kept face and growled. He'd die fighting before he'd ever consider running away.

SPLURCH! SPLAT! Suddenly, the Titans in front of the horde exploded into bloody messes and Eren didn't need to guess why. Looking up, he saw Yin and Yang float down to stand at either side of him. Seeing Yang face the Titans on his left and Yin to face the ones on his right, Eren faced the ones in front of him, now more confident in his victory than ever. The sound of stretching flesh filled Eren's ears, and the boy in Titan form saw that the Brothers had sprouted blades from their wrist.

Yin had blades coming from the top of his wrists, similar to that of European Longswords, glowing bright blue. Yang's blades sprouted from the same place, though they were reminiscent of 19th century Ram Dao swords. No words were said, nothing was needed to be said. They all knew what they had to do, there was no need for communication.

Briefly, very briefly, the Titans seemed to hesitate but then they quickly begun moving again and charged forward. Eren and the Guyvers roared, and charged themselves.

Yin snarled with animalism that few would expect from the usual composed Guardian, his left blade shot forward and embedded itself within a Titan's collar. The blade poked out at the nape of the Titan's neck, killing it instantly. With the blade being on its side, Yin's arm then moved upwards and sliced the head in two. Blood gushed out of both sides and the Titan fell. Clenching both fists and making both arms straight like rods, Yin spun clockwise in a circle and moved forward. The heads of several Titan's went flying, blood and fleshing going into the air from Yin's whirlwind like attack.

Stopping abruptly, the Control Metal on the Guyver's forehead glowed with power and four beams of vermilion shot out from the green gem above and at four different Titan's heads. All four head exploded into gory messes. Throwing out both arms, he then decapitated two Titan at both his sides.

Yang fought with a savage yet control manner, his arms moving in wide sweeping gestures and slashing apart any and all Titans that were caught in the blades path. His hands glowed red with energy, he then swiped both in an axe like motion. An X of energy flew through the Titans, and when it dissipated before the Wall, the Titan that had touched it turned into tiny pieces that fell into piles on the ground. Yang took notice of Eren, and saw the bleeding bite marks on the boy's body. Healing though they were, the older Guyver knew that Eren would not last with just his fist alone. He had to have some kind of distance. Looking at the blade protruding from his right wrist, Yang made his choice.

Grabbing the blade with his left hand, he ripped the blade from his wrist with a wet tearing sound, blood gushing from the gaping hole that was left. Despite this, Yang made no sound of pain and the wound quickly healed itself. "Oi Eren!" the red and black Guyver shouted, grabbing the boy's attention as he fought off a Titan. "Use this!" Yang threw the blade, it whistled as it spun through the air, and Eren caught it by the hilt. When Yang pulled the blade out, it developed a hilt like base for Eren to hold on to.

Without much thought, Eren swung the blade in a wide arc and took the heads off of three Titans. Eren looked at the blade, awestruck, and if he were able the boy would be grinning like a mad man. Holding the hilt of the weapon in both hands, Eren roared loudly as he swung the blade in another wide arc. All the Titans before him gushed blood from their chest as they were cut in half, and the same happened to another group of Titans when he gave the blade another wide swing.

The swipes bore two slashes into the Wall, but thankfully it was not enough to destroy it.

Kicking his leg out in a kick, Eren flipped the makeshift sword so the blade was facing downwards and drove it deeply into the Titan's collar and came out of the nape of the Titan's neck. He moved his face close to it, wanting to watch the life leave its eyes. It twitched, gurgling on its own blood, and then begun to dissolve.

Looking up, Eren saw that there were still plenty of Titans left. With the Brothers by his side, they had come to stand by him, he stood at his full height and rested the blunt side of the blade against his shoulder. He looked at the two of them, and they both nodded silently. They were more than ready, and so was he. With that, they all charged forwards and Eren swung his blade down in a great slash.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"AH!" Eren's eyes snapped open, and he quickly realised that he wasn't in his Titan body. Moving his arm to rub out the splitting headache that was attacking him, he heard the sound of rattling chains and quickly found that both his wrist were bound in shackles. "What the-?!" panic rising in his chest, he rose to a setting position and tugged at the chains but could not loosen them. Growling, he tried harder.

"Don't stress yourself out, you've just woken up after three days of rest" a deep yet soft, masculine voice stated and Eren flinched in surprise. He hadn't realised that he wasn't alone. He quickly took in his surroundings, and saw that he was in a bed. On the right of said bed was a small draw and asides that the room, with walls and a ceiling made of stone, had no other features. Eren gasped when he saw the bars, the barriers between himself and the people outside it. He was, to his horror, in a cell.

But what got Eren more was the two people outside his cell. Sitting on a chair, lighten up only by the candle besides him, was a blonde man with a square jaw and icy blue eyes that almost look like they were glowing. He gave off an air of duty and something foreboding. Beside him was a short man with black hair, angular features and sharp eyes that stared boringly to the side. Unlike the taller blonde, this man gave off an air that clearly showed he wasn't to be fucked with. It was Commander Erwin Smith and Captain Levi of the Survey Corps, two of the most infamous men of the military.

"Wait-" Eren's eyes bulged when he realised what the Commander had said, "Did you say three days?!"

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not too Far Away

"Well" Yin muttered, hearing Eren's startled cry as though they were right next to each other. "Looks like we're finally going to get some visitors."

Yang groaned, placing a hand on his head as he sat on the bed of their own cell. They were sharing it, but unlike Eren, they weren't in chains. They had broken them days ago. "You really do have bad timing, you know that bro?"

Yin just grunted, making a note to to tell anymore jokes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it!
> 
> I have a lot of things to say about this chapter, so let me start of with the small things.
> 
> 1\. Eren didn't go berserk while lifting the boulder, why? Because he didn't transform before in the last chapter. As I see it, the only reason he went man when transforming was because he had partly transformed before not only an hour ago. So, I think that if he hadn't in that effort to save Armin and Mikasa he might of been able to pull of the task more smoothly. This is also done as a reference to the Titan Atlas, fans of Attack on Titan should know what I'm talking about. This was also done for some action scenes, like with the ending as I'm sure you saw.
> 
> 2\. Eren's talk with Mikasa. Remember, this Eren is not like the one from the canon universe. He is not solely driven on rage and loss, he is driven by self hatred and contempt for humanity. He wants to proven himself to the Guyvers, who he sees as heroes, and also try and make humanity better (this will be a big part of the story in later chapters). He still wants to go to the outside world, but he wants to feel like he's worthy to. This Eren also has learnt the value of family and friendship, and thus understand Mikasa's affection and the others with a bit more clarity.
> 
> 3\. Mina's backstory. Oh, I had a fun time thinking that up. I didn't want Mina to simply be a character that would exist simply to fall in love with Yin, which she will, I wanted her to have a past and some flaws. But instead of it being the usual despair shtick, I gave her different past. She's from a wealthy family that do not thinks so much of her, and suffers from a slight inferiority complex, and she's want to prove herself to them by being a soldiers. But for that she must change, and being in the Survey Corps will do that.
> 
> 4\. The Character's drives. This story is all about people following their feelings and trying to find themselves. Eren, as I've already mentioned, is driven by the goal to prove himself to the heroes he see as Gods. Mina is driven by her wish to prove herself to her parents. And the Guyvers, well you'll see. This is all about people following the paths they've chosen, and the things that will affect them and their relationships.
> 
> Till next time!


	6. Trials of Gods and Monsters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been looking forward to this chapter, the court chapter.
> 
> A lot going to happen in this chapter, not so much action but rather story wise, so I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Disclaimer- I don't own Attack on Titan, it all belongs to Kodansha. I also don't own Guyver, it all belongs to Kadokawa Shoten. I only own my OCs.

"You know my name, not my story. You know what I've done, not what I've been through." Unknown Author.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three Days Before The Trial

Erwin Smith had seen a lot in his life, mainly in his time as Commander. He had seen people die in ways that would drive lesser men insane ten times over, in truly nightmarish fashions, and saw what was left (sometimes). He had heard that people believed that he was mad, that and many other things, but had never let such trivial things bother him. A future where humanity was free, free from the Titans, was all that mattered to him. He would gladly give his life, and the lives of countless others, for that.

However, he could safely say that he never expected to see two armoured beings pull a teenager out of the carcase of a Titan in his lifetime.

Word of Trost's breach had reached Erwin's ears during one of their routine expeditions to the now abandoned area that once was Wall Maria, and as soon as it did he ordered the retreat; pointedly ignoring his Captain's quiet outrage. Once he explained the situation, no one dared to argue with him. The dead were left, and the living ran like bats out of hell back to Trost. However, upon returning, they were shocked to find that the breach had already been sealed, by a boulder. The amaze cried of Levi's squad members rose, while he himself reminded quiet. They used their 3DM Gear to get to the top of the Wall, and could only gape stupidly at the sight before them.

"What the actual fuck?!" As Levi oh-so eloquently put it.

They watched as a fifthteen meter tall Titan, wielding a giant blade, hacked its way through a horde of other Titans while being followed by two armoured beings of the same size. Hanji immediately become ecstatic at the sight, positively bouncing with glee as she observed the unusual monsters cut down the abominations that had plagued humanity with ease for the past hundred years. Then, she said the thing that made almost all of them freeze up with amazement and equal horror: "It's them! IT'S THE GUARDIANS!"

Erwin couldn't believe it. He had heard of the tales himself, and had indulged in the idea that such creatures could exist. That humanity may have finally gotten the saviours it had been praying for over a century. However, when no sign of them appeared after Wall Maria fell, he assumed that they were simply brought on by the panic of the citizens of Shinganshina. For a moment, Erwin could only stand there; his sky blue eyes wide as he watched the battle (slaughter was a more appropriate term, he thought) come to a close. Then, when the last Titan was wiped from the earth, the sword wielding Titan roared in victory and abruptly killed over. Then the Titan's body exploded into steam, and the Guardian's shrank down to human size. Shocked out of his stupor by Levi, Erwin commanded that he, the Captain and his squad and Hanji come with him to investigate while the rest stay back unless things go south. When they touched ground, the blonde could only stare at the sight of the crimson red and black Guardian pulling a young soldier out of the Titan's nape.

The glowing crimson orbs of the other Guardian, the one with a colour scheme of sapphire blue and white, brought Erwin back to the present. As he stared into those orbs, he felt a chill run down his spine. The eyes were fathomless, unblinking and showing no emotions that the Commander could read, great pools of red that made the man felt like he was being swallowed in. He felt as though they were looking right into him, past the iron mask that he had spent years crafting, scrutinising his very soul.

"Orders, sir?" Eld's hushed voice reached his ears, and Erwin could hear the fear in his voice. All military factions feared the Brothers, due to the reports made by those in Shinganshina five years ago.

Glancing to his side, he saw that Levi and his squad had all gotten their blades out at the ready. With the exception of Hanji, of course, who look like she was on the verge of a powerful orgasm. Then again, she always looked like that when something caught her eye. With exception of Levi and Hanji, the Squad had apprehension written all over their faces.

The other Brother suddenly jumped through the fog of steam from the Titan's body, and in his arms was a young trainee. Erwin noticed that the boy had what looked like burn marks on his brow and both cheeks, and looked like he was waking up from a dream; eyes blinking dazedly and without focus. One thought course through Erwin's mind: "What on Earth is he?"

"Erwin!" Levi's voice was sharp, and he could feel the man's eyes bore into the back of his head.

Taking a breath, Erwin started to walk forward, promptly ignoring the cried of those behind him. He walked a calm pace. His gaze locked on the Guardian's soul searing eyes. To a bystander, it would almost look like Erwin was sizing the armoured being up; but said being's lack of expression made it impossible to tell if the blue and white being felt at all intimidated. When he was but a few feet away from the pair of them, he stopped. He then spoke in a voice like iron. "I am Commander Erwin Smith of the Survey Corps, and I extend my greetings to you both, Yin and Yang. White and Black Guardians."

The two Brothers looked at each other briefly, something passing through their gazes that Erwin couldn't even being to understand, and then the White Guardian turn backed to him. "What exactly are your duties, Commander?" The question was blunt, and straight to the point.

Erwin couldn't say that he hated that. "The duties of the Survey Corps are to reclaim the lands overrun by the Titan, and to kill as many Titans as possible during our missions."

"You're Titan killers." Yang murmured, sounding intrigued.

Erwin nodded, decided not to talk. A small pause insured, before Yang broke it with a voice tainted with raw hate. "Where the hell were you bastards?!" Erwin didn't openly react, didn't blink or twitch in the slightest. Neither did Yin. "Three hours, three hours is all it took for this city to go to hell! They had to make the trainees do the fighting, leaving them in the lurch as their friends were ripped apart by the Titans! By the time we got to them, half of them were damn near broken! We-"

"Shut up Yang!" Yin snarled suddenly, sounding like person who was at the end of their patience, effectively sending his brother into silence. Erwin had already noticed by then that the Brother's facial expressions didn't change, despite the emotions that registered in their voices. That's why, he was certain that the Black Guardian was giving his brother a death glare.

His eyes glowing a little more intensely, Yin spoke in a surprisingly controlled voice. "The Titans have been eradicated, and the breach has been sealed. The threat has passed. The only reasons you are even talking to us is because of Eren." The Guardian jerked his head back at his brother and the boy in his arms, and Yang clutched the boy protectively.

Erwin gazed intently at the young soldier. "Is that his name?"

"Yes, Eren Yeager. And you will have to go through us first before you even think about harming him." Eyes glowing like lanterns, and the silver orb in his forehead illuminating with some unknown power, Yin looked quiet demonic. Erwin stared back stonily, his mask hiding the trepidation that was rising within him.

"Erwin!" Of course, the blonde thought, only he and Levi would be the ones to feel the murderous aura leaking from the Guardian's body.

"There's no need to cause a fuss now." The tension broke when the hoarse voice rang out, and Erwin turned to address its owner.

"Commander Pixis" he said by way of greeting, craning his neck to look at the older man who rode on a horse.

"These two are of no threat to us, they both assisted in the salvation of Trost. The boy, while an unknown factor, is also no danger. He is, in fact, the one who sealed the breach."

Erwin looked back to the boy and pressed his lips together, this situation was way over his head. As much as he wanted to learn more, and knew that Hanji would tear him a new one, he knew what needed to be done. "You'll cooperate?" he asked, just to be sure. They both nodded. "Then we'll take you to Wall Sina, this is a matter that has to be dealt by our head of military."

"You wouldn't mind showing us the way, would you?" Yin inquired in his distorted voice, all the malice from his previous words gone.

Erwin turned to Levi. "Take your squad and a few men. Lead them to the capital."

The captain looked less than pleased with the order, his lips curling into a grimace. He then grunted. "Fine," And got upon his horse. Looking at his squad members with eyes that were almost as empty at the Guardians, he ordered. "Get a move on." Erwin saw the hesitation in all four of their gazes, and then saw it get smothered over. Weakness was something the Levi Squad could not afford to show. They got on their horses and rode off, the Guardians taking to the air and following behind them.

Erwin could only watch them go, transfixed, before his uniform was roughly grabbed and he was pulled back by Hanji. The woman looked as though she were possessed. "Erwin!" She screamed in his face, nearly deafening him with the sheer volume of her voice. She begun to shake him, or at least tried to. "We have to have them! I have to have them! You gotta get 'em, please I beg of you!"

"Hanji." He said her name in his ever soft, even voice. And immediately she went quiet, eyes sparkling, eagerly awaiting his next words like a child listening to a story. "I intend to." He turned, ignoring her overjoyed expression, looking at the tiny coloured dots that were the Brothers. They were following the Levi Squad up the lift, like wingless angels. Covered by his leading scientist's cry of joy, he breathed. "They have to be ours."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two Days Before The Trial

To Erwin's surprise and pleasure, the Guardians cooperated much more willingly than any of them could have anticipated or expected from the beings of legend. They gave Eren Yeager over to them with only a warning, allowed themselves to be contained and did very little after. The boy, a Titan Shifter as they fondly named him, seemed to have fallen into a coma of some kind and was easily locked away and thought very little of. In fact, the boy was over shadowed by the Guyvers presence within Wall Sina.

Rumours speculated like a plague, the general public raising question and arguing. The True Gods Cult, created not to long after the Brothers' appearance five years ago, made protests when word reached them of their gods' imprisonment. It wouldn't be long, everyone knew, before they would begin riots or something dangerous. The Military Police members took the situation as best as they could, using their power to threaten those who they deemed a threat, resulting in fights. Those guarding the two boasted how the Guardians seemed to be all bark but no bite, how they just stood like statues and did not eat or drink or respond to the guards' jeers.

Erwin knew better.

The two were waiting, biding their time like predators waiting for prey. They were expecting them, Erwin knew, as he and Levi made their way over to their cell. They walked in silence, their boots echoing off the cobblestones walls, waiting for the other to speak. It hadn't escaped Erwin that Levi had been greatly displeased by the orders he made the previous day, and knew he would play the silent treatment for some time. However, the blonde could of really cared less about how the short man felt. So Erwin waited, waited for Levi to make some snarky or deadpan comment like he usually did.

And eventually, he did speak: "You don't really think those two freaks are going to willingly join us, do you? I mean, these are the beings that all military factions fear."

"All but you, right?"

"Right."

"…I think, if we appeal to their better nature and make a persuasive argument, they'll be open to negotiations." Erwin said after some thought.

"Such as?" Levi clearly didn't believe that would happen.

"Simple: them joining us for the betterment of humanity. I think we can both agree that's what they want."

"Oh sure, save a village then disappear for five years while the whole world goes deeper into hell, come back after said years and then save a town while we're away. Smashing job they've done so far." Sarcasm didn't drip, it poured form Levi's mouth with a touch of disdain.

Erwin shot his short captain a hard look. "It's not as if we've done any better, both before and after their appearance. At least with them, we can be assured that we'll be able to push back the Titans."

"If they stay long enough."

Erwin didn't bother to reply, they had made it to the Guardian's cell. And, standing right at the bars like he had been expecting them, was Yin. His lantern, unblinking eyes locked onto Erwin. "Good morning." The Guyver said, his light voice distorted as always. Erwin idly wonder why, but then pushed the thought aside.

"Good morning." He returned the curtsy, while Levi just leaned against the wall behind him. Erwin stood before the Guyver, the bars of the cell the only thing standing between them and any sort of conflict. Or at least that's how it would be for normal people. He saw that he and the blue and white being were about head to head in height, he assumed his brother was the same. "I hope the guards have been treating you kindly."

Yin's stoic expression didn't shift at all as he spoke in a dry, almost amused tone. "They lack respect and good personal hygiene, but other than that they haven't bothered us."

Erwin glanced at the four soldiers, two positioned as the edges of the cell and two by the wall opposite them. They each had rifles, more for their comfort than any actual defence, and twitched when the Commander's icy blue eyes looked over them. The blonde felt a twinge of loathing at the sight. "But I can tell you aren't here to see how we are being treated," Erwin looked back at the Guardian as he spoke again, "so may we get done to business: What exactly do you want?"

Erwin made sure that his face and voice didn't show a whit of emotion. "I'll get right to it: are you both aware of why you are here?"

"Quite. You're going to put us and Eren on trial."

"You're observant."

"Anyone who could count to ten and knows they're ABCs would be able to tell." Odd sense of humor, to say the least.

"Well you're right. The trail will determine which military faction will gain custody of the pair of you."

"Custody?" Erwin moved his gaze from Yin and looked to the owner of the voice that suddenly spoke; it was none other than Yang. Sitting on the bed in the dark, his eyes cut through the inky blackness like red knifes. His voice, Erwin noted, was a distorted hiss of outrage. "Who the hell said that we would even want to be part of your damn system?! We obey no one!" The bed creaked with relief as Yang got to his feet, his armoured feet resounding loudly on the cobblestone ground as he stomped over to the cell bars. As he approached the bars of the cell, Yang sneered with loathing. "I would rather die than work for the likes of a military DOG like yo-"

Faster than anyone could register, Yin swung his right arm out and sent his brother flying backwards. He landed on the bed hard, and it was a miracle that it didn't break under the Guyver's weight. Gasping, and seemingly in pain Erwin noted, Yang spat towards his little brother weakly as he brought hands to his chest. "Y-you little, s-shit!"

Yin lowered his arm without looking back at his brother, he hadn't even looked when he striked him. "Do ignore him," he said nonchalantly, like they were discussing the weather. "He's been in a mood since my little outburst yesterday, so he'll be an ass while he's in it. Now, about the custody, my brother is correct in the fact that we will never work for any military of any kind. Bad experiences. However, despite this, we are not against working with a military group."

Erwin blinked when the Guyver's words sank in, a small blossom of hope growing within him. "You're proposing an alliance?"

"Wait till our trail, and you'll see." Yin said, and by the tone of his voice he intend that to be the end of the conversation. As the blue and white being turned away, Erwin was more than willing to leave it as that. While he did have one or two more question resting on his tongue, he decided to save them for later; less he angered the Guardians. Who knew, perhaps he may get his answers during the trail.

"You know, I'm disappointed."

Erwin snapped his head to face the Captain, a look of lividness in his blue eyes. Glancing back at the cell, he saw that Yin had frozen upon hearing Levi's words and a heavy silence settled. He just had to say that, didn't he?!

"I beg your pardon?" Yin's voice was completely calm and relaxed, and Erwin felt a cold feeling rise in his stomach.

"You two are supposed to be the beings like that of Gods, to be feared and respected by all of mankind. Yet here you are, locked in a man-made cell. Honestly, I don't think much of them, but the Military Police were right for once: you two are pathetic." Levi didn't show a whit of fear or regret in saying the words, and he didn't seem to notice how profoundly the guards were sweating.

Erwin could feel the terror withering within him, in a way that he had never felt before. Like ice cold water being dunked over his head and rolling down his back, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end and his skin growing goose-flesh. For the first time in a long time—Erwin Smith was genuinely afraid.

Yin slowly turned to face the two of them, his face as bleak and emotionless as usual; eyes glowing in the darkness like two crimson jewels. At that moment, it made the Guardian all the more terrifying. He stalked forward and stopped before the bars of the cell without uttering a single word, without the slightest shift in his facial expression or error in his stride.

The silver circular object in the White Guardian's forehead shined with power.

Suddenly, the bars groaned, creaked and parted. Bending aside as though they were being moved by invisible hands, not even Levi could keep his stoic expression as the being of legend slowly leaned forward though the growing gap in the bars. All four of the guards pointed their weapons at the Guyver—and all four where knocked out cold when the rifle flew from their hands and into their faces. Erwin felt as though Yin was looking at the back of his skull, his blood red eyes looking into him and picking him apart like a callousness akin to a child would do to an insect. He heard movement behind him and knew that Levi had shifted into a battle pose, he wonder if his Captain was as at all frightened like he was. Rooted to the spot, the blonde could hardly speak as the Guardian's head poked fully out of the hole with his hands clapped calmly behind his back; there was enough room for the bent back horn to fit through.

"Do not take our willingness to comply with your requests as a sign of weakness, gentlemen." Yin said in his ever soft, distorted voice. He didn't sound angry, at all. "I alone could destroy this entire building with but a single thought, without having to even lift a finger. My brother, whose hatred for governments holds no bounds, would be more than happy to do the same." After mentioning him, Erwin quickly noted that the older brother was still on the bed; simply watching the scene before him. Due to his face, it naturally was hard to tell what he was thinking. "However, we are not mindless killers; despite our looks and ferocity in battle. We were feared and hated where we came from, by both our enemies and the people we wanted to protect. We'd rather be able to tell our story this time, and also dispel the negative feelings we've gained during our absence." His bit said, Yin pulled his head back and stood with his back straight. The bars then moved back into their original position, with a speed much faster than the time it took for them to bend out of shape.

The blue and white Guardian turned his back to them and walked into the darkness, uttering lowly. "Now you two head off and get ready. I assure you, you'll get any answer you want out of us in our trail. Till then, try not to anger either of us."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One Day Before The Trial

The next day, Erwin got a surprise letter from Commander Pixis; requesting that they met and talk in private. The location? On top of Wall Shina, for all those bothering to look to see the Commanders of the Survey Corps and Garrison chatting. It would look bad, and it honestly did make Erwin concerned.

But really, talking to the infamous Dot Pixis was even more concerning to blonde. If Erwin was known as the humanity's most unflappable man, then Pixis was humanity's most abnormal.

They walked along calmly, not a word said. Both were waiting for the other to speak first, but Erwin wasn't going to so much as breathe a sigh. One trick he had learned in his year at the Survey Corps: Always let your opponent make the first move. And, after letting the silence drag on, Pixis did. "You needn't be so concerned about how this current situation appeared, Commander Erwin. There's nothing malapropos here, you and I just happened to bump into during an early morning stroll. There's nothing wrong with us chatting, under the circumstances."

It was then that Erwin sighed, deeply, looking down at his feet like a petulant child being scolded. How the older man could be so nonchalant about the situation, he did not know. Granted, he wasn't exactly panicking himself but he would rather not have to deal with question from people. Especially from Nile. "Especially from Nile…" Erwin thought grimly, mouth twisting at the thought of the head of the Military Police. The man, who he was very certain of, would try and take Cadet Yeager and the Guardians into his custody.

"I assume you are aware of the Military Police's plan to take custody of Cadet Yeager and the Guardians?" Pixis's question brought Erwin back to the present. He had suspected for some time, but now the Garrison Commander had just confirmed it for him.

"Yes, I got word of it late afternoon of yesterday." There was nothing wrong with telling a little lie.

Pixis came to a stop, his back still to Erwin. There was no more than ten feet between them. "They wish to hold a deliberation over the matter. Though the final decision will be left Premier Zackly, it will be he who decides the military factor that Eren Yeager falls into. He will also decide whether or not if Eren can aid in our battle against the Titans, or should be executed there and then if need be it."

Erwin had figured that much since the moment he had seen Eren hack Titans down in his Titan body; a matter like this could only be taken care of by the head of all the Military factions. He, Pixis and Nile may be Commanders of their respected groups; but they all followed the orders of Zackly when he gave them. And should Zackly say so, he had all the power to take Eren's life away. "I'm surprise that you're speaking so much for the case of a boy we hardly know anything about," Erwin couldn't help but say. He moved on to his next point and asked rhetorically. "Aren't the Guardians more valuable allies than Cadet Yeager?"

It was fairly obvious to anyone with half a brain that the main focus of the trials would be to finally see and understand, to some degree, where the Guardians stood. Would they stay and fight with humanity against the Titans, or leave them like they had five years ago; a fact that burned the soul of everyone who thought they had finally found something to believe in. Something better than the military could ever provide. Erwin honestly doubted that much time would be wasted on the boy, and thought that Zackary would be keener to pick at the Yin-Yang Brother's brains instead.

Pixis chuckled ruefully, and turned to face Erwin. World weary golden eyes stared into youthful blue ones. "That is the question, isn't it? A choice between a boy with an unknown ability to transform into our greatest enemy, or the heroes that gave humanity something to believe in; as well as caused the darkest blight on our history. The end is obvious. But either way…I do not want to see him die."

Erwin blinked, the only action he would show that expressed that he was surprised.

"Eren Yeager proved himself an ally to humanity; as I said two days ago, it was he who saved Trost. Even with all their power, Yin and Yang were willing to place everything on him. If he did have anything against us, he would have done so during the Recovery Operation. He could have done so much with the power he has. But he didn't, and I believe that he is a commendable soldier." Pixis took out a small flask; it had roses in its design. How appropriate, Erwin thought. "But too many members of the Garrison fear both him and the Guardians, I'm sad to say, and as such we won't be participating in either trials. My hands are tied. The best I can do is disagree with what the MPs have to say." He unscrewed the top of the flask, and glanced at Erwin before inquiring. "Do the odds favour you?

Lowering his head, Erwin gave the Garrison's Commander the honest truth. "No, they don't." Out of all military factions, the MPs were the most infamous and lusted over by recruits. Due to being directly under the King, and filled with corruption and hebetude, any person who wanted to be respected and not fight Titans would set their future on them. It was that link to the King which made them the most likely to get Eren Yeager and the Guardians.

"But we do have a proposal prepared." He looked back up to see Pixis pulling the flask away from his lips after taking a large swing of its contents. If Erwin had to guess, it was most likely some kind of alcohol. He had, and probably would never; see the appeal of the stuff. "Whether it works or not will depend on how the debate unfolds."

Pixis looked almost grim at the response. "You're going to play it by ear then?"

"We always play by ear." Erwin said, and he didn't allow the mask that was his face to show the wane smile that would have come with such words. The man before him was no friend, he was just a comrade against the enemy, but in a possible future he may become Erwin's enemy. He had to stay cautious, and plan. Always plan. Plan every possible outcome, every possible counter, every possible threat. Always be ready to make the sacrifices, regardless of who they were, no matter how many people would hate him for it. "And whether this proposal will work for both trails, if we can get both the boy and the Brothers, is something we'll have to wait and see."

Pixis looked away from Erwin, his gaze lowering to the ground. His shoulders shook briefly, before his head snapped up as he let lose a rumbustious laugh. He then turned away and started to make his leave, saying over his shoulder. "I'm glad to see that you're not as uptight as many make you out to be." He shook a hand in farewell before clasping them behind his back again. "Thank you for the pleasant conversation, Commander Smith, and good luck to you. I believe you'll need it"

Erwin could only stare, eyes slightly wide, at the older man's slowly shrinking back. He then sighed quietly to himself. "And I thought Hanji was a strange one."

He turned himself and started moving, the glare of the sun caught in his blonde hair, his mind racing.

This was going to be tricky, and just as Pixis had said, he would need a lot of luck.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Present Day

The cold steel of the shackles around Eren's wrist dug uncomfortably into his skin as he shifted. He tried, once again, to free himself; trying to use that strength that he had in his Titan body. But the results were the same: the clattering of chains. Sighing, Eren slumped back against his bed.

The candle, suspended upon a metal bow by chains, burned silently on his left.

Eren opened his mouth, about to ask the men outside his cell to get him some water, but then thought better of it and closed it. He could image the response he'd get, "Remember your place, monster", and then they'd pretend he didn't exist.

Eren grimaced at his situation. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't blame the soldiers for being afraid of him. The reason was so obvious: he could transform into the same creatures that had plagued humanity for the past century; and in that form he had a power that was almost on par with the Brothers. Not very, but definitely not too far off; enough to be a challenge. They had every right to be afraid of him.

But even so, not matter how much they were afraid, he knew that he didn't deserve this; to be chained up and locked away in a cell like some kind of animal. He was a soldier of humanity, had trained to fight Titans for three years, he wouldn't hurt anyone. At least not without good reason.

"They're just afraid of what they don't understand, fundamental human behaviour." Eren's lips curled with loathing at the thought; that familiar fire burning in his chest. If there was one thing Eren had always known about humanity, and had come to understand better after his epiphany five years ago, it was that humans always tried to destroy what was seen as a threat and then ask the questions later. For the Titans, it was an on-going battle with little answers to the questions. The reason for the distrust was also well deserved, considering the Titan's nature. But for him and the Brothers, it was instant distrust despite all the good they had done.

Eren hated that, hated that people would just blow the head off of something that clearly didn't want to harm them. Ever since their appearance the Brothers had been blamed for destruction and death, and every time he heard someone say it he felt a flash of hatred. Eren had been called out, by Mikasa and his mother (of course), on his sudden protection of the Brother's names. He gave them his answer without hesitation: They had saved his life and theirs, and thus he felt that they were more than deserving of his respect. Gone was the admiration he felt for the Survey Corps, and in was the almost childish desire to be like his heroes.

Scratch that, Eren wanted nothing more than to be just like the Brothers. To be more than just—human.

He finally had gotten that wish, but not in the way he had thought he would. In the way he wanted.

Sighing quietly, the boy decided to focus on other things. Specifically, his friends. "I wonder how they're all doing…" He pondered, resting his face on his right knee. He frowned. "I hoped they all survived…" He thought of Armin and Mikasa, of Jean and Marco, Reiner and Bertholdt, Connie and Sasha, and Annie and Mina. "Would you see me as the guy you've trained with these past three years? Or, would you just see me as a monster, a freak?" As much as the idea of his friends despising him for what he was hurt unbelievably, he also couldn't blame them for their fear. Who was to say that, if he got into a fight with Jean and got pissed, that he wouldn't transform and then crush the poor horse face bastard? The thought gave him less pleasure than he thought he would.

But, the thought of his mother turning away from him—if that happened, he was certain it would kill him. The boy clenched his hands, the desire to see his mother and feel the calming presence filled his heart.

"Endure this just a little longer, Eren. We'll try and sort this out quickly." That was what the Commander had told him this morning, when he woke up. After three days of sleep. Shortly after Captain Levi had told him he was now a member of the Scouts. Eren's surprise that he had slept that long overshadowed his surprise at how easily he had gotten into the Survey Corps, it had felt like only a second had pasted since he drove the blade Yang had given him into a Titan when he had awoken. The sound of his heart resounded in his ears, trepidation rising in his chest. He had been in here for so long, was the Military's plan to just leave him in the darkness for the rest of his life? To never see anyone, his family, ever again?

No.

No way!

No fucking way!

Rubbing a hand over his suddenly wet brow, Eren tried to calm his heart. No, they couldn't just leave him in here! He wasn't a threat, he was a goddamn hero! He saved Trost; he should be thanked for it, not left to rot away in the darkness. And he would be damned if he was going to let those ungrateful bastard lock him away!

Anger and resentment burning within him, Eren realised that he was feeling the same way that he had felt after he had met the Brothers. But this time he wasn't helpless, he realised as he stared at his hands. The shackles, while restricting, didn't stop Eren from moving either of his hands to his mouth. He remembered that he had bitten his hand to turn into a Titan; it was how he accessed the power within him. "And I'll use it, should push come to shove." His eyes snapped up at the guards of his cell, neither men so much as glanced at him. Good, they were unsuspecting; they wouldn't be able to stop him. "I'll escape, break the brothers free, and then make for the Wall."

"But first I'll kill them." A small smile tugged at Eren's lips, that final thought— "I'll show them true horror, show them was real power is." His smile grew to a wide, bloodthirsty, toothy grin. His green eyes were dark and hateful as he glared at the guard's backs. The beast within him thrashed around in its poorly constructed cage, demanding freedom and blood.

Bringing the rim of his left hand to his lips, he was ready to allow it as he opened his maw, his breath hot on his hand—

KACHA! The sound of locks being opened broke the blanket of silence. All thought of escape left Eren as he listened to the slowly building footsteps. But then, suddenly, silence fell again. Everything went completely still. The boy frowned and leaned forward as much as he could, eyes scanning the wall opposite the cell, trying to see a shadow or something. But, as far as he could see, there was-

WHAMP! "GAH!" Eren jumped back and smacked the back of his head against the metal headrest of the bed. His reaction was drawn forth by the sudden appearance of a person, a woman, who seemed to have literately thrown herself at the bars. Cursing quietly and rubbing what was sure to be a lump, he opened his eyes and saw that the woman was beaming brightly at him. Eren was certain that, a second ago, her expression had been quite disturbing.

"So then, you're Eren!" she said in a perky voice, a surprising tone of voice in contrast to the grim atmosphere and harsh tones of the guards. The candle light was reflected in her spectacles. "Are you well? How are things?" Eren barely had time to ponder either question before the woman carried on. "I'm really sorry you had to wait so long, but here's your chance to finally get out!"

Eren's whole body slumped with relief; finally he'd be out of this-

"But…" The boy tensed as the woman dug into her pockets. A blonde man a light moustache and beard, who was a head taller than her, stepped besides her and glared suspiciously at Eren. The woman produced something from her pockets and presented them to Eren with an apologetic smile. "You'll have to put these on for me, okay?"

Eren sighed. Out of big cuff and into smaller ones. Fucking brilliant.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five Minutes Later

It was refreshing to finally have sunlight on his skin again, even if it was through the glass ceiling above them. They walked down an empty corridor, their footsteps echoing off the smooth cobblestone ground and quiet walls around them. The woman led them, with the Guards at the rear. The blonde, though, was uncomfortably close to Eren. What's more, he was sniffing him.

"I'm Hanji Zoe, a Squad Leader for the Scouts." She introduced, in the same bright tone as before. The introduction, though, was slightly unneeded. Eren had seen that she was of the Survey Corps when he saw the uniform up close, noticing the familiar crest on her jacket. Hanji was a brown haired woman; her ponytail long and unkempt. Her brown eyes were wide, full of energy and life, with just the barest hints of gold in them.

Eren reeled as the blonde deeply sniffed the back of his neck, feeling quite disturbed. Seriously, what was this guy's deal?! "And he's Mike Zackarias, a fellow Squad Leader." Hanji stated, her lips quirking at the sight happening besides her. "Don't mind him; he always does this, gives new people a thorough sniff. Tends to laugh through his nose a bit too." No sooner than she said this, Mike straightened and (to Eren's surprise) cracked a smirk on his other impassive face with a small hum. "I don't think he means it in any rude way though." Noticing the boy's expression, the bespectacled woman added. "Quirks aside, he is a skilled section commander."

Despite her words, Eren kept his eyes on the man, a warning within them. If he tried that again, he'd- "Oh dear!" Hanji suddenly exclaimed in dismay, and Eren turned to see that they had ended up at a wooden double door that stood before a stair case. "Sorry, I've just been prattling on with the small talk and now we're here!" Eren idly wondered if the woman ever lost her perky tone, but the thought was lost as his eyes were firmly set on the door before him. A sudden sense of anxiety rose in his stomach.

"Well I'm sure it's fine." Hanji said nonchalantly, and the guards grabbed Eren by his arms and pushed him forward towards the doors. "Probably better that I don't explain, anyway." She murmured, more to herself than Eren. Now the boy was afraid, he could already see what was happening. This door was going to lead to the outside, where more guards would be lined up with rifles. There would be no words, just flashes of orange and splatters of crimson. Then, a lifeless thud.

Eren was certain of it: they were going to execute him.

And he was even going to see his mother or friends one last time. "W-wait!" he called, looking back with desperation naked on his face. Hanji's face, he noticed, was serious as she placed both her hands on the doors. Mike's was apathetic.

"I know this may seem callous." She stated, and her voice was as serious as her face. Now Eren was certain that, if she was like that, then he was definitely in trouble. "But know that we've all put our faith in you, Eren." She didn't even give him a chance to let it sink in, as she then closed the doors on him with a quiet 'good luck.'

Eren could only gape stupidly at the sight that befell his eyes.

It was not the outside of the building, it was a courthouse. He had been inside the basement of a courthouse the entire time. The room was HUGE! The ceiling had artwork depicting people battling each other with primitive looking swords and spears, blood and guts splattering over the false battlefield. On both his sides there were four rows of desks, each one occupied by a citizen. Down his path there were gates that formed a square, with some kind of metal pole in the centre of it. One the left and right of the square were more people, a mix it seemed of soldiers and citizens. One the right side, though, there were more levels; with a balcony being only 30 or so feet from the ceiling. At the far end of the room, above the judge bench, were four symbols. The Scouts symbol, the Military Police symbol, the Garrison symbol and even the Training Corps symbol. Once he took all that in, his eyes went back to the artwork above his head. Something about it-

"Get moving!" The hard front of a rifle hitting his back broke his concentration and he staggered forward; scowling. As he did, he felt hundreds of eyes bore into him; the sensation felt like being watched by a Titan as it anticipated the meal to come. Eventually, he made it to the centre of the square and one of the guards moved forward to the metal pole up just a few feet before him.

"Eren!" The voice was not Mikasa's or Armin's, nor was it any of the friends he had grown up with. Head snapping in the direction of it, Eren could only stare into the horror filled eyes of his mother; Carla Yeager.

"Mom…" He breathed, it had been so long since he last saw her—

"Kneel!" The butt of a rifle smashed into his gut, and Eren's knees buckled and connected with the ground painfully. His mother and Mikasa protested, saying something, but the world was drowned into muteness by the sound of blood roaring in his ears. The guard to hit him grabbed the back of his collar roughly and dragged him forward until his hands were over the small hole where the pole stood in. When the roaring faded, Eren found that he couldn't move his hands. The pole kept them in place.

Eren didn't dare raise his head, unable to look into his mother or friend's eyes. This was torture, the cruellest kind, to have those who loved him so much watch him be trailed and beaten like a dog. If they wanted to make him suffer, they were doing a great job at it so far. He finally did look up when a door opened, and an old man stepped into the centre chair of the judge bench.

The man had receded grey hair and noticeable wrinkles, his eyes were deep sunken and looked as tired as the wrinkles on his face suggested. His face was also adorned with a full bread and moustache, as grey as his hair. Eren blinked with surprise, he knew the man. Not personally, but his status was known to all of the Military factors. He was Commander in Chief, Darius Zackly. Eren had only one thought as he saw the man in the flesh. "I'd thought he'd be taller."

His attire consisted of a plain white shirt with normal dark coloured pants, with his main uniform being place into a neat pile besides him, the sleeves of the shirt were being rolled up as he spoke in a deep aged voice. "Well then, let us begin."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fifthteen Minutes Later.

"Then it is settled," Zackly declared with finality. "Eren Yeager is to be placed into the care of the Survey Corps. But should he fail to aid humanity, he will be returned here to be trailed and executed."

The trial hadn't even been half an hour before it came to its conclusion. Eren had expected it to be a long, tedious time where Zackly and the Commanders would give him question after question after question. But no, it went much simpler than that.

The Commander in chief had wasted no time in explaining to him the situation, how his very existence what causing an uproar along with the Guardian's presence. That and who would gain custody of him and decided what his fate would be. He would be left to either the Military Police or the Survey Corps, and both Commanders of the branches gain their own proposals. Commander Nile's was simple: they'd cut him open, see how he worked and then get rid of him once that was done. Nile had then go on to explain that while Eren was viewed as a hero (which the boy was perplexed at) he also was on the verge of causing a second civil war, and thus they decided it to be best to turn him into a martyr for humanity.

This immediately caused an outcry from the man besides Nile, who started raving about Eren 'defiling' the Walls and how he should be executed without a trail. Eren realised that he was one of those crackpots from the Wall cult, the Wallists if he remembered correctly, and briefly mused on how they had gained power over the past five years. He also had a brief glaring contest with the nut, before another person started shouting. Coming from far back in the crowd, Eren quickly realised from what the man was saying that it was a member of the True Gods Cult. A brief argument between the two men arose, their separate beliefs clashing, before Zackly slammed his fist down and ordered them to be quiet.

Once that was done, he moved on to hear the proposal of the Survey Corps. To Eren's and just about everyone's surprise, the Commander simply said that they intend to let Eren join their ranks and assist them in retaking Wall Maria. Nile and Pastor Nick looked both annoyed and outraged, while Zackly seemed quite unsurprised. When it was brought up that Trost's gate was now closed forever, which was the most direct route to Shiganshina, Erwin countered that they intended to use the Karanes District and make the new route to Shiganshina completely by scratch.

A merchant then spoke up, claiming that their money would be better spent on reinforcing the gates so the Colossal Titan wouldn't be able to damage them. More arguments arose from members of the Survey Corps, the True Gods Cult, the members of the Wallists and even Captain Levi spoke down to the merchant.

Once again, Zackly silenced them.

Seeming quite tired of all the distractions, Zackly moved on to asking Eren if he would still be able to be a proper solider to humanity whilst controlling his Titan power. Eren responded without hesitation: yes he could. However, the Commander in chief took him off guard by suddenly asking his mother. He stated that he had been told, courtesy of Pixis, about his father's seeming involvement with Eren's ability and inquired if she herself knew anything.

Carla bluntly responded that she didn't know anything, that and how she didn't know anything about Grisha's disappearance. There was a quiet fury in her voice befitting an angry mother. She went on to say how, despite her husband's few secrets, Grisha loved her and their family deeply and would never do anything to harm them. She called out Zackly, the Wallists and the merchants; calling them cowards who were only afraid of what her son could do. How, despite the gift he possess and how he could save humanity, they saw only a monster. Pastor Nick was furious, calling Carla a harlot and Titan mother; claiming she had sold her soul and spawned the devil's child. The comments enrage Eren, and his rage grew when the merchants started to fearfully accuse Carla and Mikasa as being Titans themselves.

Eren couldn't keep quiet any longer. "NO!" he roared, and everyone went quiet. Eren felt nothing when he called himself a monster, while protecting his family, and felt nothing but hatred and contempt for the men before him. He called them cowards, people who had never even seen a Titan in the flesh, and that they were only looking at speculations that were convenient to them. He felt elated and unstoppable when he said the following: "IF YOU'RE ALL SO DAMN AFRAID THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN FIGHT FOR YOUR OWN LIVES, THEN JUST SHUT YOUR MOUTHS, AND LEAVE IT ALL TO ME!"

That's when Levi kicked him, right in the face, knocking out one of his incisors. Before he could regain his bearings, the Captain then slammed his shin into Eren's chest; knocking the wind out of him. His hair was then roughly grabbed, and Eren felt his nose break when the short man slammed his knee right into it. It didn't stop there. Eren was certain he heard his mother and sister shout out, but other than that no one called Levi out to stop him. No one seemed to dare try. Finally, after nearly half a minute, the Captain stepped on Eren's head and forced his forehead to connect with the ground. When the Captain removed foot from his head and started stomping on him like he was a bug, Eren stayed curled in on himself; trying to lessen the pain he received from the attacks.

The glare Eren sent the Captain spoke volumes of the rage that burned within him. But Levi was unmoved, staring down at the boy as though he was nothing but dirt beneath his boot, and promptly smashed the sole of his right boot into his face.

The world left Eren for a moment, his ears filled with a ringing sound. His head hurt, his chest hurt, his everything hurt. Blood dripped lazily onto the ground from his split lips, mouth and broken nose. To onlookers, it looked like Eren had passed out, but they were wrong. Eren was livid, no, scratch that, he was FURIOUS! He had been beaten, badly, in front of his family; and he was unable to do a damn thing about it! That hurt his pride, a lot. The only comfort he gained was that the Brothers weren't here to see him in this pitiful state.

"Now," Zackly's voice brought Eren back into the world. "Let us proceed to the next trail and be done with it. Someone bring in the Guardians."

As excited murmurs filled the courtroom, Eren spat out a mouthful of blood and breathed a weak. "Fuck."

This day just kept getting better and better.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Our trail should be underway soon." The Guardians were walking over the walls and on the ceiling of their small cell. Yin was going clockwise. Yang was going anti-clockwise. Yin was right. Yang was left. Yin was blue and white. Yang was red and black. As they should be.

"I know. Eren's must have gone first, how do you think it went?"

"Hopefully, he didn't say anything stupid. I don't think matters like these are his specialty." Yin said, trying not to insult the boy while also being honest. Yang knew he didn't mean any offence. "But, as there's been no explosions, I think we can assume that things have gone alright."

"Heh." Yang chuckled, a surprising show of emotion (In voice, of course, not face) from the usual stoic elder sibling. There were no guards outside their cell, having long gone off for more gainful ways to waste their time so the red and black Guyver felt relaxed and more at ease with expressing himself. "I wish I could see the looks on their faces."

Yin didn't verbally express his own amusement. Classic Yang: always finding humor in the distress of those with authority. "I know, but I assume you would enjoy their reactions to us far more than their reactions to Eren." No one ever said that Yin didn't take some joy in it either.

"Right on the mark as always little brother." Yang's tone went from playful to serious. "How should we do this?"

Yin pondered that for a moment. "I think it would be best if I did most of the talking. Assuming, of course, that you're okay with that?"

"Course I'm okay with it." The older Guyver said as he walked down the left wall of the cell and onto the ground. He had long since gotten out of his funk, and now the duo were once again on good terms. It was hardly that surprising really, brothers always make up after a period of time. He was also under no illusion that his younger brother was the better speaker on matters like these than he was. "I'll will speak though, when it fits me."

"Very well then," Yin murmured with a nod, walking on the ceiling; his head passing his brother. His arms were crossed and his voice was serious like that of a business man. Once his feet touched the ground he stopped, looking downwards. His expression never changed, but an aura of confliction rose from him.

Yang noticed, and turned to face his brother. "What's wrong?" There was concern in his voice. The kind of concern a sibling has when they're concerned for another.

The younger Guyver didn't respond immediately. The candle, which burned in its holder suspended in chains, was the only source of light in the cell besides that of the Guardian's lantern-like eyes. It's orange light was reflected in a pinkish white on Yin's sapphire blue armour. "I...I think that, once we hear the proposals of Commander Smith and anyone else who wishes to gain custody of us, we should remove our armour and show ourselves."

Yang titled his head, the universal sign of confusion. "Why so hesitant?"

"You know what comes of people who reveal their identities. Batman, Spider-man, Superman. They all suffered some form of pain when their identities were made public. We'll be putting ourselves, and those we care for, at risk."

This time, Yang laughed properly; his head lifted and shoulders shaking. A short, yet audible sound that was as distorted as his voice. "Okay." He started, his tone serious and even with all laughter gone from his voice. "First off: Most of the people we've ever cared about are either dead or back in our own world. We barley know anyone on this one, we don't even know Eren beyond saving his life two times. Secondly: If anyone does true to fuck with us, we'll fuck them up. We're show them not to mess with us. And thirdly: This isn't a comic or a movie."

"I know the last point." Yin stated firmly, annoyance evident in his voice. "I'm just concerned, Estevan, you know I am."

It was odd to be called by his real name after so long, after being called only Yang or other such titles for so long, but the black muscle Guyver didn't let the fact take his mind of the current subject. "I do, but you have no reason to be afraid." Was Yang's response to his brother's statement. The candle light reflected off his crimson armour in pure white blobs of light. "I'm not calling us Gods, but to them, we are the closest things that come to physical deities." Neither brother would ever consider themselves Gods, they knew that they didn't have the right to call themselves anything like that. They knew that, in their world at least, that there was no God. And even if there was, they knew they would not be anything like Him.

Yin was about to say something-

KACHA! But the words died in his throat when the sound of a door opening echoed through the empty corridor. The brother looked at each other and then back to the bars of the cell, listening to approaching footsteps. But, they stopped short of the cell, and an almost foreboding silence descended. Confusing taking hold of them, the two leaned forward and listened. Where was-

WHAMP! The two reeled back in shock like startled animals when a woman seemed to literately materialise out of nowhere. The expression on her face was—creepy, to say the utter least. But then, it was replaced by sparkling eyes of pure joy. "Oh, it's really you two! The Guardians in the flesh (or metal)!" In a flash, she opened the cell door and bounced towards them. The Guyvers stood still, looking down at the eccentric woman as she stood a few feet away from them. "Oh, this is an honour! No, scratch that, this is a privilege! Oh!" She put her hands to her face and squealed, loudly. "It's taking everything I have not to burst into tears of joy!"

The Guardians were then, in that moment, officially creeped (the fuck) out.

"Now, first thing's first, if you don't mind." Suddenly she became serious and business like, and walked towards Yang without a hint of fear. Her following action: a poke to the chest. Yin could only stare, flabbergasted, as the woman placed a hand on his brother's chest. "It is metal," she whispered to herself, awestruck. "But it's warm. Like body heat." She then grabbed Yang's left arm and rubbed her fingers at the flesh of his wrist. "And this is just like flesh, but slightly rougher. Interesting."

The blue and white Guyver assumed, at that point due to her actions and tone of voice, that the woman was a scientist of some kind. The other Guyver though, was too uncomfortable to think properly as the glasses wearing woman stood on her tiptoes and tapped her fingernail on his eye. It didn't hurt, but it was still uncomfortable. "Not flesh, something like glass. Seems strong too." She was acting like she was alone, and like the Guyvers weren't alive and were just things for her to prod.

The two didn't know if they were to be offended or just plain mystified.

"Hanji!" a new voice called, and the three of them turned to the cell entrance to see a blonde man with a moustache and four guards. Just like with the guards who were guarding the cell previously, the humans felt that they need double security. They weren't completely wrong in that respect. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I'm looking" the woman, Hanji, stated simply and went back to studying Yang. She walked around him, looking him up and down like a piece of meat, before she came back to his front; beaming once again. "Covered in armour in all places, with only little bits of flesh revealed; but nobody would be brave enough to get close to you while you're fighting! You two really are the ultimate warriors!" She squealed again, and the three men at the cell door slumped with exasperation.

Hanji then caught sight of something and, yet again without fear; she grabbed the red and black Guyver's right wrist. The men squawked with horror and Yin tensed ever so slightly. Yang, however, did nothing but look down at the slightly shorter woman. Her gaze was fixed solely on the symbol in the centre of the Guardian's palm; she traced it with her fingertips. "What does this symbol mean?" Again, it was a question she was asking herself.

"It's my symbol." Yang told her softly, but his voice carried to the men at the cell door. The blonde tensed noticeably, but did nothing as Yin quickly pinned him with his bright stare. The 'don't even think about it' went unsaid, but was clear from the glare.

Hanji, though, looked greatly intrigued. "Your symbol? Symbol of what?" It then occurred to the Brothers that the Yin-Yang symbol probably didn't exist in this world before they came into, and the people probably didn't know its true meaning beyond it being their mark.

"Hanji" The blonde called out with an edge in his voice.

"Right right." She waved a hand at him as though she was board, looking between the two beings of legend. "We're here to escort you both to your trail."

"'Bout time." Yang grunted, rolling his shoulders. Yin just nodded silently.

"But there's just one thing I need you to do for me." Hanji then pulled out two pairs of shackles from her pocket. She flashed the two of them a hesitant smile, "Do you mind wearing these for me?"

The Brothers looked at each other. Any other time, they would have vehemently denied and perhaps even fly into violence. However, they were both aware of the gravity of the situation and knew that wearing chains would make people feel a little bit more at ease. So they nodded, and their wrists were bond in chains and they were walking towards their long awaited judgement.

Two of the strongest known beings on this Earth were locked in chains.

Yang had one thought on the matter: "Ah well, their reactions when we drop our aliases will certainly be worth this little act of submission."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The courtroom was abuzz with chatter, the excitement almost palpable. Everyone had their own reason to be excited, or nervous. Talk of the Guardians upcoming trail was all those of the True Gods Cult could talk about, wondering how their beloved Gods could possibly be allowing themselves to be put through this. They decided it best just wait and see how things would play out.

Erwin couldn't stop himself from feeling a slight sense of trepidation for the upcoming trail. The one for Eren had gone better than he expected it would, he hadn't taken it into account that the boy would speak up. He had, though, hoped that the fear and greed of those present would cause some kind of ruckus so that it would play in his favour. However, he was concerned as he knew that the Brother's attitudes would cause some kind of trouble. Like children, they were defiant. They would not allow themselves to be so easily controlled, if Yang's outburst and Yin's cryptic words ere anything to go by. Still, he would try none the less. He was certain that with them on their side, the battle against the Titans would finally turn in their favour. He glanced at Levi, and noticed that his Captain was wiping some of the blood off his boots and knees. He hoped that he wouldn't resort to such measures for this trail.

Armin, currently, was more concerned about the two woman he was between than the upcoming trail.

He glanced at the one on his left, Mikasa. He had always feared her, and he knew he was right to be afraid of her. A child who could take down three bullies at once, and scare the living crap out of them with a glare alone, was definitely someone to be wiry of. Her past too, make him fear her but that too was completely justified. It was his proof that even children were capable of something as horrible as murder, a morbid thought of curiosity that he had as a child. Despite these things though, the quiet girl was one of his closest friends and he would always follow her no matter what. However, the dark look his friend had on her face currently frightened him to now end. He knew she wanted blood, the blood of Captain Levi no less, and was quite certain she could satisfy that bloodlust if given the chance. He was glad he stopped her, otherwise things would have gone straight to hell.

He then looked at the woman on right, Carla Yeager. Carla had always been a motherly figure in his life, taking one of the roles a child needed in their life and always helping his Grandfather when she could. After the fall of Wall Maria, and the death of his Grandfather in the Civil War, Carla had taken Armin in with open arms despite living with Eren and Mikasa. She said he was family, and that he wouldn't be left alone to be treated like trash by the government. He knew he would never be able to repay her for the kindness she showed him, but he made a point to help her whenever he could. Be it cleaning or other such activities. And now, the look she had on her face was one of pure fury. Carla had always been a figure of compassion and placidness, always facing things with determination and never backing down no matter what. Clearly, this was something Eren inherited. Naturally, Armin thought, any mother would be enraged to watch their child get beaten by some stranger. That, and added by the earlier grief she received, Carla was clearly on edge. He didn't bother to try taking to either of them, deciding to rather let them seethe the anger out of themselves.

Suddenly, the doors opened.

Everyone went quiet and all eyes turned to the doors.

Yin and Yang walked into the courtroom, four guards a short distance behind them, the footfalls of their metal encased feet echoing in the quiet room. Their bodies glowed in the sunlight that poured into the room via the windows, and their emotionless faces glowered at the path they were walking.

Carla's rage was momentary replaced by awe. She had been told the events of five years ago, all the stories, but to see the beings of legend in the flesh— "Are they..." She trailed off, still unable to believe her own eyes.

"Yes." Mikasa said in a low voice, her water blue eyes glued onto the duo like a hawk on its prey. "They're the Guardians."

"I'm surprised they allowed themselves to be put in chains." Armin muttered, more to himself than to the women before him. Upon hearing his words, both Carla and Mikasa noticed the shackles around their wrists. It was a shocking sight, to say the least.

The Guardians walked into the centre of the courthouse and stood three feet forward were Eren was. As there was no place for them to be held, they stood still with the guards behind them and stared towards Zackly expectantly. The man in question didn't seem exactly shocked or surprised at the sight of the Guyvers, nor did he seem fazed by their crimson stare. They seemed to ignore Eren, whose wide eyes stare bored into their backs. The moment stood for a moment, before Zackly finally decided to speak. "Let us begin. I am going to assume that you are both well aware why you are here, correct?"

Yin spoke first, his voice soft but loud enough to reach those in the back of the courtroom. The room had suddenly become very quiet. "Quite. You wish to finally gain a view on the beings that have had a strong impact in your world's society. You also wish for one of your military groups to gain custody of us."

"You are right." Zackly nodded, and then felt incline to elaborate. "Specifically the Survey Corps and Military Police. The Garrison regiment had declined any wish to take custody of you." He offered no explanation on that point and the Guardians asked for none. He was glad for it, so far things were going smoothly. He could only hope that they would stay that way. "Now, Nile, is your proposal the same as before?"

"Yes." Commander Nile spoke up, looking at the two armoured beings. They turned their heads to look at him and he flinched. Just about everyone in the military knew the tales, but they fell utterly short when describing the feeling of being under the Guardian's stare. Red jewels stared into his soul. He shook off the feeling, best he could, and went on to say. "Dissection of the Guardians would prove most beneficial to humanity. Their abilities to alter their bodies and other such techniques show promise to create weapons that would be far beyond anything we can create currently." No one in the courtroom missed how he did not mention the Titans in that point, only the weapons that they could get from cutting the Brothers open. Yang felt a surge of hate that he masterfully concealed. "Once we extract what we need they should, like Eren Yeager, be turned into martyrs. Their contribution to mankind is noted, but their existence has also caused various problems; the main being the Civil War. Their continued existence will undoubtedly cause more problems in the future, and therefore it would be better to simply remove them."

"Oh that is horseshit!" A male voice shouted, tainted with loathing, shattering the silence like glass. All eyes flew over to a young man who stood at the far back rows of the courtroom. He, and his two companies, were dressed in robes. One side of the garments was white and the other was black. They were members of the True Gods Cult. The leader, a blonde lean fellow with hazel eyes and a gaunt face, glowered furiously at Nile. "You would dare cut at the flesh of the beings who do your work for you, the very Gods that have protected humanity without fail?! I call you cowards! Too afraid to let power greater than yourselves run free!"

"Hold your tongue you vile blasphemer!" A much closer voice to the brothers bellowed hatefully. They turned and saw that the voice belonged to a tall man dressed in a black cassock with three golden coloured bands near its top. He was older than the other man, with noticeable wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes, which were underlined with dark circles. His hair was high up on his head and was parted to the left, with the sides and back being much shorter. The pupils of his eyes were tiny black points in seas of silver. "Your 'Gods'." Pastor Nick spat the word like it was poison. "Hold not a candle to the mighty Walls, who have protected humanity far more diligently than these two ever have! They-"

WHAM! Zackly's fist came down, hard, on the bench. "I have warned you both enough times already, gentlemen! Anymore and I will have you both forcefully removed from this trail!" The room was engulfed in silence once more, and the men went quiet with one last glare to each other. The old man sighed, his shoulders loosening, a small portion of the tension leaving him. "Let us return to the matter at hand. Commander Erwin, I assume that your proposal is the same?"

Erwin nodded. He had been as motionless as a statue both before and during the heated argument between the cult members. "Yes: Let the brothers join our ranks. With them by our side, along with Eren Yeager, we will retake Wall Maria. That is all."

Murmurs arose, as that was the second time Erwin Smith had given his simple proposal. The fact didn't slip the Guyvers either, though they didn't voice their suspicion of the blonde. They looked at him, the silver orbs on their forehead gleaming in the sunlight, and he looked back at them unflinchingly.

"Do you have any objection to that?" Zackly asked the brothers, not bothering to question Erwin. He had seen the answer coming. The duo looked back to face him.

"Only to his proposal." Yin answered, jerking his metal chin in Nile's direction. He turned to the human and he flinched, again. "We have no intention of letting you understand about the power we possess, nor do we have any wish to help you develop weapons. The power we have is ours, and we use it to help people. Not to make weapons." Many people in the courtroom smiled, satisfied to see the Commander of the MPs get told. Eren was beaming and Erwin had a small smirk on his otherwise impassive face. "Moreover," Yin continued. "Dissection is a painful thing to inflict on any sentient creature, and it really wouldn't help you in the grand scheme of things. The forms you see before you are only skin deep."

"And what does that mean?" Nile questioned, anger evident in his voice. Clearly, he wasn't pleased that he had been rebutted. In a public debate on less.

There was an impression of a playful smile in the Brothers voice when they, in unison, said. "This." And they were then engulfed in light, one blue one red, light that filled the courtroom. Many people cried out in surprise of the sudden brightness, it was like looking to the sun for a long period of time. Zackly, Erwin and those closest covered their eyes with their hands or looked away, while those further back in the courtroom squinted as they were not as affected by the light. Eren, who was only a few feet away, looked down at the ground and clamped his eyes shut. There was no heat, just brightness, like looking upon the gateway to heaven.

When the light faded, Eren shook his head, trying to lessen the pain in his eyes. He wasn't blind, he knew, his eyes were just sore from the sudden flash. He heard a collection of gasp, and looked open with open eyes to see why. He understood why immediately.

The Guyvers were no longer standing before him. In their place were two young men, both of different ages and with different looks.

The youngest of the two looked to be in his late teens, perhaps eighteen or nineteen, with a fair complexion and short brown hair. His brown eyes were sharp and imposing as he stared straight ahead, ignoring the stares that rested on him. His clothing was what got most of the stares, especially the state of it. He was dressed in some kind of black suit, one almost akin to what the rich would wear but also completely different; the suit lacked the left sleeve right up to the shoulder and revealed the white shirt that boy was wearing under the suit. There was some kind of small black tie on the shirt's collar. His attire was completed with black trousers, that also has noticeable tears in them, and also one black shoe. The other was not there, leaving his right foot only covered in a black sock.

The elder of the two looked to be in his early twenties at least, with a slightly darker complexion to that of the younger boy. His eyes were maroon brown, they reflected the light in pinpoints of crimson red. He stood slightly taller, a few inches or so compared to his brother. His hair was black with red strips that glowed in the sunlight. His clothing was far more casual than that of his companion, but had similar tears and rips, with it being composed of blue trousers made of some kind of peculiar material and a dark top that slightly empathised his muscular chest. This boy's most noticeable feature was his face, considered quite handsome by some of the woman present, due to the three faint white lines that ran from the top left side of this brow and down to the bottom his cheek. This left three lines in his left eyebrow.

Both the males were in shackles, and both stared upwards at the Commander in Chief as they awaited what he'd say next.

The silence that followed was deafening, so quiet that one would be able to hear a pin drop. At that moment, everyone in the courtroom had wide eyes and dropped jaws. Even Erwin and Levi, the two most composed in the room, has wide eyes at the sight of the two young men. Zackly was the first to recover from his shock. "Is...Is this what you meant by 'skin deep'?"

The younger boy nodded, the sunlight reflecting off his fair countenance and dark hair. "Yes. The forms you have become so familiar with are known as Guyver Units. They are symbiotic bio-mechanisms created many centuries ago by a race that's name is lost in the folds of time. They bond with a host to enhance said host's capabilities, they have no purpose other than that. To put it more simply: they are living suits of armour that bond with another creature. Yin and Yang are the names we gave the Units long ago; they are our aliases for when we are in battle."

Zackly raised a brow, curious. "So who are we addressing now?"

The boys looked at each other for a second, something passing through the glance, and nodded.

Looking back at the Commander in Chief, the youngest went first. "I am Joshua Martin, and I am Guyver Yin."

"And I am Estevan Martinez, otherwise known as Guyver Yang." The scarred face boy introduced.

"And as you can see." The younger boy, now introduced as Joshua, continued. "We're human, the same as you."

Needless to say, everyone took the reveal hard. They digested it with hefty amounts of wonder and disbelief, unable to believe that the beings considered Gods were also human. "I don't believe it." Armin breathed, sky blue eyes wide as dinner plates. "All this time they were human and…I never even gave such a theory any thought."

"You and the rest of humanity." Mikasa quipped drily, yet there was a slight breathlessness to her voice. She too, had been blown out of the water by the reveal.

Zackly pushed on to the next question, not wanted to drag the trail out. Despite how historical the event would later prove to be, it was still too damn hot for it. "Would you mind explain to us how you two came across such…" He paused briefly, searching for the right word. "Advanced suits of armour?"

"That's…where things get complicated." Josh said, with some noticeable difficulty. His face was thoughtful, implying that he was choosing his words carefully. For the first time ever, Guyver Yin could be read and understood. "You see, we're not exactly from around these parts. Well, to be blunt about it, we are not even from your world. We come from another."

Zackly gave the boy a questioning look, he leaned forward slightly. "Are you saying that there is life outside our world?" He questioned, growing more and more interested. Perhaps today wouldn't be such a bore after all.

Josh nodded. "Yes, though that doesn't mean we're from another world." Noticing the confused expression on Zackly's face, he decided to explain the best he could to a less advanced society. "What I'm about to tell you might go over your head, but I swear that it is the truth. You see, the world you live in is but one of billions upon billions of others. The planet exists in a space known as the universe, a vast expansion filed with galaxies which, in turn, are filled with solar systems and other planets." He took a deep breath, feeling every set of eyes in the courtroom on him. "However," He continued slowly. "Where there is one universe, there is also another. Parallel universes, known in our world as the Multiverse Theory. Universes that exist simultaneously alongside this one, and countless others." The boy looked up at the old man, apprehension in his brown eyes. "Has any of that…made any sense?"

Zackly wasn't sure what amazed him more. All the information that the Guardian told him, or the fact that said Guardian was just a boy. A young boy, who look genuinely concerned. But, luckily for the boy, he had understood most of what he had been told. "It does. So you two come from one of these parallel world?"

Josh's eyes lit up with joy. "Yes, YES!" He was thrilled that his explanation hadn't been so confusing. Containing himself, so not to lose his cool, he said. "Yes, that is correct."

"And I assume that this world is different to our own?"

"Very Much so." The scarred face boy, Estevan, spoke up. His voice was a touch deeper than that of his brother, slightly gruffer, but still was spoken in a soft tone that traveled to everyone's ears. Zackly's world weary eyes met the maroon eyes of Estevan. "Our world is far more advanced that yours. To put it simply, if people of our world were to look at yours, they would call it a pre-age-of-enlightenment time."

"Pre-age-of-enlightenment?" Zackly had an inkling that was half an insult.

"He means that they would call it a time before the advancement of technology. In our world, we've long since stopped using horses as transportation and have developed far better means." Josh explained.

Zackly stroked his beard, absorbing the information. "Then why come to our, less advanced world, when you have your own?" There was a note of suspicion in his voice.

The Brother's faces hardened. Josh spoke for them both. "We didn't come here by choice. We were in a war, a great war, one which shook the very foundations of our world and almost cracked it like an egg. We, and a few others, were the only forces able to repel those who wanted to destroy our way of life. In the end, it came down to just us and the Big Bad. The one behind all the destruction. After a long battle, we pushed him into using his ultimate attack: an ability which tore a hole in the boundaries that separated universes. We fell through that hole, along with him. And, by that, we entered your world five years ago. And, by luck, if was during the attack on that small town. Shiganshina, was its name?"

Zackly, as well as many others, looked at the boys with amazement. "You two are war veterans?"

A pained look came over Josh's face, he eyes falling to the ground. "Unfortunately." He whispered, his eyes filled with a familiar look that the present Commanders recognised instantly. It was the tortured looked of one who saw the memories of a thousand bloody battles. And lived to remember them. Estevan's face hardened at the sight, and Mikasa recognised the angry, helpless look of an older sibling who was unable to comfort their younger relative. A sympathetic silence filled the courtroom, and a new feeling of pity was born for the Guardians.

"LIES!" The silence was shattered by Pastor Nick, his face was contorted with all the fury of a religious man. "You monsters play the card of young men, torn by war, yet in actuality you are demons who wish to plunge humanity into destruction! You wish for us to live without the safety of the mighty Walls, to turn our backs on our Gods Shina, Rose and Maria! You-"

Suddenly, without warning, Estevan started laughing. Cold barks of hysterical laughter, like he had been told a brilliant joke. His head was craned back, the tendons in his neck were as taunt as wires, and his white teeth gleamed in the sunlight. Everyone in the courtroom was a little more than disturbed. Josh, though, was completely unmoved as he glared at Nick with cold fury. A fury which come into Estevan's voice as he snapped his head down to glare at the frightened tall man with dark joy. "If you really consider those walls to be Gods, then you're sadder than I previously thought." He spat.

"What?!" Nick hissed, livid.

"A God is a creator and ruler of a universe. A God is the source of all moral authority, the supreme being that rules with compassion and love; and will deliver cruel justice to those who defy them. What have those walls ever done for you, huh? Nothing, that's what. They're merely objects that keep the Titans away from humanity. Impressive for such a undeveloped world to be sure, but as has been proved twice now, not infallible. They can be broken, they show no compassion, they are nothing but constructs of humanity. Nothing but signatures of those who came before you. So tell me, old man, do you really think your Walls are Gods?" The question went unanswered, for Pastor Nick merely seethed in a hating fury as he glowered at the boys.

The members of the True Gods Cult kept themselves from cheering at the sight of their rival being spoken down to by one of their Gods.

Joshua, who had been quiet since his brother's laughter, sighed and broke the smaller silence that fell. "Okay, let's put an end to this." He raised his bound wrists for all to see, and then pulled them apart. The shackles shattered like they were made of glass, the pieces clattering to the ground. Estevan quickly followed in suit, but kept an eye on his brother. People gasped and reared back in fear when the young Brit then started to levitate off the ground, Pastor Nick went whiter than a bed sheet. Zackly tensed, cold fear shooting through him. It didn't take genius to know that the Wallist had pissed of the calmest of the two Guardians.

Eren craned his head upwards, as Josh was now standing upon the top of the pole that held him in place. Guns were aimed, the boy didn't react. Crossing his arm, he put all the cards on the table and spoke with a steely voice. "This trail is being conducted because you're afraid, you're afraid that you can't control me or my brother. And you don't. Not ever." Noticing the fear he was getting out of people, he inhaled deeply and calmed his raging heart. He exhaled. "But that doesn't mean we're your enemies." He said finally, looking only at Zackly.

"We are not saying that you are." The Commander in Chief replied calmly, the tension leaving him if only a little. "But you must see it from our prospective. Like Commander Nile said: For all the good you two have done our world, you've also caused equal damage in return. We merely wish to know where you both stand."

"We stand with humanity." Estevan stated firmly, arms crossed like his brother. His expression was set as he looked at Zackly. "But we do it on our own terms. Not working in a military group of any kind."

"That being said, we are quite willing to work with a military group, and we will be quite willing to fight along sides the Survey Corps if it means saving humanity." Josh added, his voice lighter than Estevan's but still retaining a steely undertone.

"You wish to go with the Survey Corps?" Zackly asked.

Josh nodded, he was still on top of the pole; looking down at the old man. There was no arrogance in his gaze, only a firm emotionless glare. "Like I said: if it benefits humanity, we'll gladly work with them." He emphasised the word.

"And as we have no place to go in your world, it would be nice to have a roof over our heads." Estevan added.

Zackly looked down at the bench, shiny amber wood reflecting the sunlight, pondering over the information given to him. He became soundless. The various people gathered tensed and leaned forward slightly, waiting for his response with keenness. The Brothers and members of the Survey Corps though, did show any outward emotion. Finally, when the silence seem to grow to the point of being unbearable, Zackly opened his eyes. The amber eyes were gleaming with authority.

"I have made my decision." He declared. "It is clear that the Guardians are, in no way, a threat to humanity. They have proven their desire to protect the human race, and have done so despite having all the reasons not to. While they may be uncouth to some, it is obvious that their morality is sound. Therefore, they shall be place with the Survey Corps; to aid in the fight to regain our lost lands."

Nobody cheered, but the relief felt by many was like a tidal wave. Erwin Smith smiled. Joshua quietly glided back onto the ground.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later...

The Brothers did not follow Eren and the others into the room, where he was presumably getting his wounds treated by Hanji. They had been told, on the journey there, that Levi had inflicted them upon the boy. They decided to stay outside, least they get into an argument and hurt (seriously hurt) the short captain. They both leaned on the wall, arms crossed. They didn't bother to engage in conversation, even after so much had happened. It was moments like this, where there was nothing but the silence and each other's presence, that they both enjoyed. There was no need for words.

However, the silence did not last.

"Boys." They turned and saw Zackly, dressed fully in his uniform. He now, officially, looked like a Commander in Chief. They didn't greet him in return, for the old man hadn't extended one himself. He inclined his head. "Accompany me to my carriage, will you?" It was not a request, but it was said in an air so that one would assume it was. The Brothers, while not fooled, complied with his wish and followed him.

His arms behind his back, Zackly didn't utter a word as the Brother's followed behind him. The duo couldn't help but notice how short he was compared to them; he must have been only five foot five. They were a good three or so inches above him, Estevan nearly a head taller. People stopped and stared at the sight, but no one spoke out. By now, the identities of Guyvers Yin and Yang would be public information. The two were no concerned by this though, it was part of the plan to gain the trust of the people. With their true faces publicised, the humans had no reason fear or be mistrustful of them.

Once they made it outside, the orange light of the setting sun greeted them. The day had gone by quite fast. Zackly had stopped, his world weary gaze looking at the people who walked past the court as they went about their daily lives. "Do you see them, boys? All these people?" Zackly inquired, not turning to face them. The young men didn't respond, they just watched the people. It was remarkable how lively this town, compared to how barren Trost had been. It almost reminded them of Shinganshina.

"It's a hard life they live, very hard. Do you know how they make it through each and every day, knowing that the end might soon be upon them?" Again, the boys didn't question him. They allowed the old man to talk, waiting to see what the point of all this was. "They believe. They believe that tomorrow is going to be better than today." Now Zackly turned to face the boys. "Against all odd and all evidence, they believe that we will defeat the Titans." He sighed, closed his eyes and then looked old; he hadn't looked old before now. "People have to believe in something, and Lord knows that the military hasn't given much reason to hope."

He opened his eyes and favoured them with a smile. It was small and hesitant, but it was a smile all the same. He looked like a Grandfather, looking with a tired happiness at his grandchildren. "And right now, they believe in you."

Despite the mistrust they felt towards the military in general, neither brother could deny how the words affected them. They knew that had become as favoured as Gods in this world, but so far many of the people they had meet had only been branded them as monsters and the military had been fearful of them. Zackly was the first to say that they were believed in, straight to the faces, and it warmed their hearts to hear it. The Commander in Chief looked away, turning his boy until his back was facing them. Before he went off on his way, he said over his shoulder. "People have to believe in something."

The Brothers watched him go, their expression unreadable. Let it never be said that, without the Guyver Units covering them, that they could easy to understand. Estevan looked down at Josh, who watched at Zackly stepped into his carriage; awaiting his little brother's words. The Brit turned to face him. "Come on." He said, his voice as soft as the wind. "The others might be wondering where we got to." He walked back into the courthouse, and Estevan followed behind him.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unknown Location

There was four of them. They met in a place away from prying eyes, a place in the darkness. A place where they could speak freely. They didn't need to see each other, they just needed to talk.

"Thing haven't gone the way they were planned." The first spoke, voice soft yet grim.

"Obviously. The appearance of the Guyvers and Eren's new found abilities complicates things, especially the mission." The second spoke up, voice deeper than the first but just as grim. A light note of anger was in the voice.

"I never would have thought that he was a Shifter. How the hell did we miss that?" The first murmured.

"We'll deal with that matter later, right now the Guyver are the greater threat." The second stated.

"I was afraid that you were going to attack them, exposing ourselves." The first remarked.

"I wanted to, believe me. I still want to." The second growled, the anger rising. "We could do it, you know. Attack them, take them by surprise. We're stronger than they are, stronger than we were before, we can-"

"NO!" One of the other two figures bellowed, silencing the first.

"Neither of you two are ready, not yet. I'll deal with them, when the moment is right. We'll stick to the original plan, and deal with them first. Once they're out of the picture, we'll focus on finding the Coordinate. That's the reason we're here, after all, not to settled some inconsequential grudge." One of the figures left, leaving now only three.

The fourth, the one who had stayed quiet the longest, spoke up. "He hasn't got a chance, does he?"

"Of course he doesn't." The second scoffed, amused. "He's a message, nothing more nothing less. But there's no need for him to know that."

"He's right none the less." The first commented, now slightly more hesitant now that the fourth was speaking. "We'll have to continue as planned, and then strike when the moment presents itself."

"That means, for you-" The first said to the fourth, voice steely. "Not to fuck up. There's no room for failure."

"I know." Said the fourth tonelessly. "I won't fail."

They left it at that, for now.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Capital, Wall Sina

Eyes shut, he sat on his throne with his head propped on his fist, listening to the growing sound of multiple footfalls. He looked asleep, but he was merely resting his eyes. He had little reason to have them open, his council took care of all the trivial matters. It was night time, and an inky darkness surrounded him and the room. The crimson curtains were pulled aside, letting in the moon light into the room, but that was the only light. He himself was covered in the shadow of his throne. It didn't bother him in the slightest though.

The doors opened, and the footsteps grew louder and louder until they abruptly stopped. His council had arrived. "My Lord?" One inquired softly, just to see if he was awake.

He didn't open his eyes when he responded. "Speak."

The words came quickly. "It went as you assumed it would, my Lord, the Guyver have joined the Survey Corps."

"It's a damn catastrophe, that's what it is." Another one spoke up gruffly. "They'll work too well with them. Especially with that Commander Erwin."

"Perhaps we would send a spy, someone to-"

"No, leave it be my friends." He heard them go quiet.

One spoke up. "M-My Lord?"

King Fritz opened his eyes, golden jewels gleaming in the dark. He was an old man, roughly in his seventies, but his body was surprisingly well toned from what could be seen past his royal clothing. Dressed in red, purple and black, he wore the colours of a ruler. He didn't wear the golden crown, he left on the table besides the throne. It irritated his scalp too much. He smiled at the council and their fear. "It would be in poor taste to cheat in the game before it even begins. Besides, forces are already moving into place to assure that this catastrophe will be dealt with. Let the children battle, then we'll play our card."

If there was one thing King Fritz knew, it was that pawns always go first in a game.

They wouldn't dare question his logic, so they bowed and left; leaving the King in his darkness. Content, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift away.

It was in this place, where the world lacked light, where he shined brightest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I won't really talk about anything in this chapter; even the reveal of the Guyvers or the final two scenes. I'll just let you read it and let you ask the questions; so please question to me if you're curious and I'll answer (without spoiling anything!).
> 
> I don't really intend to do much now that Christmas is round the corner, but I might post the first chapter of another story that I've had in the makings for quite a while. If I do get it done, depending on how fast I go, keep your eyes open for it.
> 
> Until then, this is LordAkira18 wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!


	7. Trailer

**(Suggest watching DBZ Battle of Gods trailer)**

* * *

_We fade from black to see Erwin Smith sitting at his desk within his office, laced hands covering his mouth, handsome face lined with concentration. The room is dimmed, yet his blue eyes seem to be glowing. He is staring right at us._

**_Erwin: (v/o)_** I don't think I need to stress the gravity of our situation...

_Three flashes, three different kinds of Titans. Each has a soldier in their large hands, ready to be devoured._

_We see and hold on Marco's corpse, bitten in half with what's left of his lips drawn into an agonised grimace. His lone golden eye is glassy. Empty._

**_Erwin:_** ** _(v/o)_** With every expedition, we lose more and more people. Even though we've gained more recruits in the past five years than we ever had before, many of them still end up dying.

_We come back into Erwin's office, he is looking at something past our gaze._

_Erwin:_ I want to know if I can rely on you, on both of you, to help us gain a brighter future for humanity.

_We see Joshua Martin (Guyver Yin) and Estevan Martinez (Guyver Yang) at the other side of the office, staring back silently at Erwin. As we fade to black, their eyes are the last to go. One is blue, the other is red._

**_GodzillaFan1998 presents..._ **

 

_The HQ of the Survey Corps stands bathed in sun, old and majestic. We see Estevan and Josh staring up at it, the former is unimpressed._

_**Estevan:**_ So this is where we'll be staying? What a shithole.

_We see Josh hum with agreement, and then behind them, we see Eren Yeager peering at him from behind his horse. His emerald eyes are wide with awe._

_**Levi: (v/o)**_ So, your willing to leave the fate of humanity in the hands of a brat who can barely control his powers-

_We are shown the Levi Squad sitting at a table with Eren. The short man himself is present (usual stoic visage), along with Oluo, Petra, Eld and Gunther. We see Eren's face and he's tense like he's expecting a fight._

_**Levi: (v/o)**_ A scarred face asshole ( _we get a shot of Estevan at night, he's glaring at someone. His eyes are crimson red slits_ ) and a moody brat. ( _Joshua standing before someone taller than him, his face bordering on apathetic_ )

Levi, standing before Erwin's desk, arms crossed.

Levi: You really trust them?

Erwin: I trust their comment to humanity, you should know that better than anyone.

_Shot of Joshua walking, holding a cut-down tree above his head like it's as light as a feather. His face is flat, impassive._

_**Josh: (v/o)**_ Why should I feel guilt for the people who lost their lives?

_Estevan, stabbing a finger in a nervous yet defiant Oluo's chest, looking pissed._

_**Estevan:**_ Kill points don't mean shit, asswipe, only victory!

  _ **The next arc in the story...**_

 

_We see Eren being pulled from his feet, face bloody and bruise. Three livid men glower at him._

_**?: (v/o)**_ Our friends died because of you!

_We next see him sitting alone, staring down at his open palms. He looks conflicted, lost. More of a child than a soldier._

**_Eren: (v/o)_** Am I a monster?

_We zoom in on Josh storming towards someone, finger pointed, face twisted with rage._

_**Josh:**_ Leave him alone!

_Josh and Estevan before the Levi Squad. The group look conflicted, guilty even, while the brothers have their own reactions. Estevan looks revolted, Josh merely appears disappointed._

_**Petra: (v/o)**_ Our orders are to kill him should he go rogue.

_**Estevan: (v/o)**_ He's a just boy!

_The Rouge Titan holds Josh in a fist, bringing the boy to its lipless mouth._

 

_**Of Gods and Heroes** _

 

 

_**Josh: (v/o)**_ Look at me. ( _Eren follows Joshua into the local forest at night_ ) What do you see? ( _Josh's lightly flushed face as Hanji, with her own flushed face, gets too close_ ) The same as anyone else. ( _The brothers look over the battle plans for the expedition_ ) A God. ( _Estevan and Levi glaring at each other_ )

_Josh dodging a fist with utter ease._

_Eren glaring at something._

_Levi brandishing his blades, murder in his eyes._

_Hanji cackling, glasses glowing white._

_Erwin staring out his window._

**_Mike: (v/o)_** They're not what you were expecting, right?

_Group of soldiers huddling together, looking up at something that both amazes and horrifies them._

_**Random soldier 1:** _ Holy hell!

_**Random soldier 2:**_ God!

_Levi, glaring up at the sky, face filled with barely suppressed rage._

_**Levi:**_ They'll destroy everything!

_We see what Levi's seeing, the sky filled with thundering shockwaves as a red light and a blue one slam into each other repeatedly._

 

**_Light_ **

 

_Josh is looking down at someone, face filled with warmth and affection._

**_Josh:_** I wouldn't ask if I did not believe.

_We next see Guyver Yin engulfed in a sapphire aura, roaring._

 

**_Darkness_ **

 

_Estevan turning to face someone, pointing at them, face curled with a snarl._

**_Estevan:_** I don't take orders from puppets!

_We next see Guyver Yang engulfed in a crimson aura, bellowing._

 

**_Rage_ **

 

_Eren, standing upon the top of HQ, watches as the sun rises in the distance. There is purpose in his green eyes_

**_Eren: (v/o)_** If I can stand by you both, fight by your sides, then that'll be all I've ever wanted.

_Josh and Estevan zoom towards and crash into each other midair, both giving the other an overhand punch. We see their faces ripples from the colossal impact in slow-motion, blood, sweat and spittle flying off each of them._

 

**_Attack on Titan: The Warriors of Light and Darkness - Act 2_ **

 

**_Josh: (v/o)_** But I'm not a God. I'm just a kid with too much power.

 

_**Next chapter coming soon...** _

 

_Fade to black._


	8. Little Steps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!
> 
> I know I have been rather quiet this year, but that's only because of writer's block and life moving on for me. I work full time now, and as such, it leaves me with little free time sans the weekends. When I do try to write during my break, I find myself more willing to sit back and watch anime/read to recharge my batteries for the next few hours before I can go home. And I've begun to cherish my weekends more, just lazing back and enjoying myself whilst I can. I'm sure a lot of you know what I'm talking about.
> 
> However, despite this, I have not stopped writing and have no intention of. I have been chipping away at my stories, acting when I gain a brainwave of ideas, reading new books and now that we're three months away from the end of the year (God, where has the time gone?!) I find myself shaking the cobwebs out of my brain and getting back into gear. I didn't want to force something half-assed out without any effort, so imagine my surprise when I just sort of fell back into this. I have a lot to thank for this second wind, which I'll leave in the endnotes. Don't want to keep you waiting any longer than you already have.
> 
> Anyway, this chapter will show Eren and the Guyvers bonding. In fact, the following chapters (sans the next one) are gonna be like filler episodes. While I could do them as separate stories, I'd rather just post them on the same story. Again, I'll explain a bit more at the end.
> 
> So, without further ado, please enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer - I don't own Attack on Titan, it all belongs to Kodansha. I also don't own Guyver, it all belongs to Kadokawa Shoten. I only own my OCs.

_"_ _Friendship is a type of Trust, and thus, like Trust itself...it has to be Earned, NOT randomly given._ _"_ Lee Masters.

* * *

Chapter Seven: Little Steps (Or, How to talk to your Heroes)

The sun was hot on their backs whilst they trekked deep into the woods, as he led them away from the others. He wanted to spar, to test himself. Tomorrow, all he had learned would be put to the test.

His companion was silent, as he tended to be. He didn't like talking unless he was being spoken to, or if it was someone he was comfortable with.

Finally, they reached a familiar clearing in the woods. A small patch of clear land where the trees did not grow, leaving a fine circular area. It had been their regular sparring place, his training grounds. It was littered with cracks and small holes in the Earth of their previous spares. There was the possibility that he might never see it again, but he pushed the thought out of his mind. There was no need feel such things, not right now.

Now they would fight, now they would see the other's strength, now Eren could see just how well he could hold his own. Compared to how he was when he started six weeks prior.

Once they reached the centre of the clearing, he turned back to his companion. He was standing a few feet away, looking rather bored. "You wanna tell me why you brought us out here, kid?"

Eren's emerald eyes met with the maroon eyes of Estevan Martinez unflinchingly, idly noticing how his eyes reflected the light in pinpoints of red and how the scars on his face seemed to gleam silver. "Tomorrows the 'expedition'," He air-quoted the word, spitting with enough contempt to bring a small half smile to the older boy's face. They both knew that what was coming was merely a cover. No-one else but him, his teachers and his superiors knew. Everyone else was in the dark. "I want to test myself, with everything that you and Josh have taught me."

The older male's brow pitched with interest. "And you choose to just spar with me, just me? Why not include Josh?"

Eren felt a slight flare of guilt at the mentioning of his other teacher but did not allow it to show. He kept his face a steely mask, emotions locked away. Just as he had been taught. "It's not that I didn't want to include him, I just wanted to fight someone who wouldn't hold back. You know what I mean, right?"

"Of course I do." Estevan's voice had not a hint of disappointment and the young soldier felt a rush of relief. Again, he didn't show this. He was slighly vexed that he felt this at all, really. The older male regarded him curiously. "So, you want to spar, but this is  _just_ a spar, right?"

"Yeah, of course." Right after the words left his lips, Eren's face contorted. His teeth bared, his brows drawn together, his fists raised, and his shoulders hunched slightly. A simple fighting pose. One that he wouldn't have known of six weeks prior. "But I don't want you to hold back. Give me everything you've got."

Estevan exhaled a breath he had been holding and raised his own fist in a similar stance. His eyes narrowed and turned into red slits, lips a thin line.

The air died down, the world growing quiet as though it wanted to watch the fight itself. The space between the two grew thick and tense, and Eren felt his heart pound in his chest. He was not afraid, he was brimming with excitement. He had been thinking about this for days.  _Weeks_  even.

"Let's do this."

* * *

**Six Weeks Prior**

Before today, Eren had been unaware that the Survey Corps had an old base of operations. Perhaps it had been brought up during his teachings and he hadn't been listening, which most likely was the case, but as he looked up at the long since abandoned castle as he patted his horse neck he couldn't help but feel greatly underwhelmed. With greenery growing over the walls, marring stains here and there, and weeds that seemed to have punched their way through the cobblestone grounds, the castle looked like some forgotten ornament that had been left to time.

Fascinating to look at, but not very appealing.

The reason for its abandonment made sense to Eren though, as explained by Oluo Bozado, that its distance between the Wall and the river made it practically useless to the Survey Corps.

Again, nice to look at, but otherwise useless.

_"Speaking of him…"_ Eren glanced to his right and saw Oluo sitting by the area's well. Petra Ral stood by him, looking rather unsympathetic as Oluo dapped at the blood leaking out of the corners of his lips. He had bitten his tongue, rather badly, whilst giving what Eren could only guess was meant have been a threat. He had been more baffled than threatened. Tilting his head ever so slightly, he strained his ears.

"…our exchange when exactly as planned."

"What, um, what happened you? You  _never_  used to talk like this. I mean, it's none of my business, but if you're trying to act like the Captain…please just give it a rest. You two have  _absolutely_ nothing in common."

"Heh! If you intend to hound me like a wife, babe, you gotta to be more familiar with me before you take that privilege."

"Ha, you wish! Next time you bite your tongue, I hope you bleed out."

"Ho ho ho! Methinks the lady doth protest too much!"

Eren rolled his eyes, breaking his concentration on the continuing conversation. So this was it, he thought with a flash of contempt, the reclaimed Levi Squad? Handpicked by Captain Levi himself? So far, Eren found himself being rather unimpressed. When he was younger, it had been his dream to be like them. To stand shoulder to shoulder with Humanity's Strongest Soldier. But that was when he was younger, filled with childish hopes and ideals. He was older now, and in his eyes, humanity paled in comparison to the might of the Gods. Looking to his left, Eren saw Them standing not too far away.

Them, His Heroes. His Idols. His  _Gods_.

That, in reality, were two ordinary young men.

Eren's mind was still reeling from the revelation, that his two heroes were human.  _Human._ Ever since the fall of Wall Maria, Eren had grown somewhat apathetic of humanity and its ongoing plight with the Titans. While he had not once lost his care for his friends, if anything he had grown to appreciate them more, he had lost  _something_. Perhaps it was his belief that, with enough effort, man could be free. Maybe it was something he had seen in the military, specifically the Survey Corps. But ultimately, the end result was the same:

Disgust, fury,  _hate_.

Violent, angry thoughts that built up in him like a wave of wrath that was just begging to be unleashed upon something. And, he remembered, embarrassment. The human race was so pathetically  _weak_ , and it loathed Eren to no end that he was part of their species.

_"Or was."_ Eren bitterly reminded himself that, at the moment, what he was was debatable. Was he a human who could turn into a Titan, or a Titan who could turn into a human? Either way, he was feared and would most likely be killed by the slightest wrong move.

Well, that didn't matter. Not now, anyway. For underneath all those violent emotions lied one lighter feeling: Elation. Eren had to contain himself, otherwise, he would squeal like a little girl. It overjoyed him to no end that his heroes had returned, nearly moving him to tears when he had first seen them in Trost. At the time, Eren had put off any wish to start a conversation, focusing on the mission at hand and not wanting to dawdle on anything meaningless. Then the trail happened, which was an experience Eren would rather not repeat. But now all that had passed, he was free to speak to them.

The question was, though, what could he talk about with them?

It was ironic, really. For most of Eren's military training, for the past five years, he had imagined he and the Guyvers getting along like a house on fire. That they would click easily without a hitch. But now that they were actually here, in the flesh, he couldn't think of anything that wouldn't make him seem like a total ass. The thoughts of a child were wasted on him. He was brought out of his thoughts when he realised, to his horror, that the boy who was Yin was looking at him.

Emerald met brown for a moment that stood far too long.

Feeling his face heat up, he quickly pretended to be tending to his horse whilst trying to make himself as small and invisible as possible.

* * *

"What's the matter?"

That was the question, wasn't it? What  _was_  the matter?

Not with him, though, not with Joshua Martin, but with Eren Yeager.

It would be a huge lie to say that Josh wasn't glad to see Eren again. In truth, he was thrilled.

He had been heartbroken when he had been told by Mina, whom he also hoped was alright, that he had died mere moments after he had returned to this world (a matter he and Estevan  _really_ needed to talk about). He had put the pain aside, focusing on protecting the others, only to later be flooded by unfathomable relief when he held the boy in the palm of his hand. This world, Josh began to see, had no shortage of surprises.

And now that Trost was safe, Eren's placement in the military sorted and his life spared for the time being, that left the Guyvers a large window of opportunity. In which, they could get to know the boy.

However, that posed quite a problem for Josh.

By nature, the Brit was anti-social. He preferred his own company and the company of those he was comfortable with, like Estevan. When it came to new people, however, it always posed a challenge. Being a holder of a Guyver Unit made the problem, even more, server, due to the fact most people were intimidated by the knowledge that he could kill them with a flick of his wrist.

It would take time, Josh knew, but he was concerned that it was time they wouldn't be able to spare.

"Josh?" Estevan's voice brought him back to reality.

"Nothing," He said smoothly, looking at his brother's questioning face. "Just thinking."

Estevan grunted and looked up at the building. Josh wanted to say it was a castle but kept the word behind his lips. "So this is where we'll be staying?" He said to no one in particular. It was a needless statement, a spark for conversion. Sadly, it wouldn't blossom into a flame. Estevan scowled, unimpressed. "What a shithole."

Josh silently agree, humming so his brother knew he had heard him. With the overgrowing greenery, stains and weeds, the younger brother had to admit that the building looked very unappealing. He didn't even want to begin to imagine what kind of incest had made the place their home, the cobwebs of spiders and thick dust. The ideas made his stomach curl. But he kept the thoughts to himself because he knew that it couldn't be helped. The people of this world didn't have the luxury to spare time maintaining an old base, that and it wasn't like there would be any five-star hotels around either. This simply was, Josh acknowledged, how things were in times before electricity.

_"Another issue,"_ The Brit realised, lips pressed into a thin line. The brothers had lived off the land before, so the conditions that this time would present weren't entirely unknown to them. However, during those times, they at least had basic technology on hand, like phones and such if certain situations arose. They didn't even have those on them, but then again, they would have been completely useless anyway. If Josh had his phone, he would have destroyed it anyway, instructing Estevan to do the same. That technology didn't belong in this world.

A cool breeze rush by and he shivered, rubbing his left arm. The feel of the fabric made him look at it, at the white long sleeve that hung out of the black shoulder, and he grimaced at the damaged done to his suit.  _"This was good suit too,"_  He thought glumly, before feeling a chill in his right foot. Cover only in a black sock, he could feel the fresh grass and dirt beneath the sole of his foot. His grimace deepened,  _"And these were good shoes."_

Idly, he noted that it had been at least a  _week_  since he had last felt the air and sunlight on his real skin. It was remarkable how  _alien_  the sensations felt. He wondered if his brother felt the same way.

"This is a major problem." The Brit's ears perked at the low, deep voice of Captain Levi. He and his brother turning, they saw Levi standing before two of his men. The short man's face was lined with hard, grim determination as though he was about to embark on a hellish mission. Josh quickly found himself focusing more on the man than he did his poor clothing. "We'll begin immediately."

Unconsciously, a thing that happened quite constantly to them, both brothers uttered the same thing in perfect unison: "Begin what?"

* * *

**Squeak-Squeak**

"This is ridiculous."

"Uh-huh."

**Squeak-Squeak**

"We deserve more respect than this."

"Yep."

**Squeak-Squeak**

"And you're not even listening to me, are you?"

"Mm-hmm." The window went squeak-squeak as Joshua cleaned it with a wet rag. He was standing, or rather crouching, parallel to the sky above and ground below; a bucket of water levitating beside him. He stood, overlooked his work before nodding in contentment and walking up to the next one. The sight of a boy walking on the walls was not lost to the others who, Estevan noted, were drawn away from their work to watch slack-jawed as the young boy walked upwards without any human assistant or a care in the world. In any other circumstance, he probably would have found their expression hilarious. But his current mood wasn't allowing so much as a smirk to grace his face.

Estevan heaved a heavy sigh, fighting the urge to throw something at his little brother's head and to roar at the gaping soldiers. He too stood parallel to the sky and ground but instead of cleaning windows, he had almost cracked a bucket over the little bastard's head when he had shoved it into his chest, he was burning vines off the wall. He looked down sorrowfully at the burning growth, the ashes flying above him in the wind, and wondered what the hell Josh had been thinking.

It was not unlike Josh to do something without complaint, even when that involved degrading themselves. By nature, the Brit was just a good person who wanted to help others when he could. Estevan was not like that, though. No, the young American valued his dignity a bit more than his brother tended to. He, unlike Josh, took maintaining his image very seriously (though that wasn't to say that Josh didn't take it any less seriously). He was a Guyver, for God's sake! A saviour, a protector, a  _warrior_. He used his powers to protect people and destroy evil in all shapes and forms, to finish the battles others were too weak to do themselves. His powers were certainly  _not_  for cleaning.

_"We could be out there right now, beyond the Walls, killing Titans."_  He thought grouchily, grabbing another vine. Power leaked from him and into the vine, weakening its structure until it became brittle and weak before he promptly torn a good length of it free from the cobblestone structure.  _"Instead, we're stuck here cleaning a dirty fucking house!"_  It took all his self-control not to use his Mega Blaster on the castle and reduce it to rubble. That, and to rip that Levi prick limb from limb.  _"How the literal fuck did Josh talk me into this?!"_

A foolish question, really. Joshua had a knack for talking people into doing things.

To say that Estevan was not enjoying his situation would be a complete understatement. And not just the cleaning, which was humiliating in its own right, but the entire situation in general.

It was a matter he and Joshua  _really_  needed to talk about. He had put it out of his mind, ignored as best he could whilst they were battling Titans and stopping those cowardly bastards from killing Eren. He had almost gratefully forgotten about it whilst he, Josh and Eren slaughtered the remaining Titans in Trost and then had their trail. But now that was done, and they and Eren were safe (for the time being), the truth became crystal clear to Estevan: that they were stranded.

That was the sum of it, right there. He and Joshua were stranded. There was no way for them to get back to their world. Their Guyver Units, while far superior to an average Unit, didn't have the power to breach worlds. They didn't even know that such power existed. To make a bridge between worlds, to open doorways between  _universes_  like opening a sealed vault, that kind of power sounded as though it should have belonged to the Advents. Not Zoalords.

Not  _him_.

_"I bet you're laughing your ass off in hell aren't you, you bastard,"_  He thought scathingly, murderous fury bubbling in his chest. His blood pounded in his ears, drowning out the world. He could see  _him_  clear as day: a devilishly handsome face that was only a skin-deep mask for a monster.  _"You didn't just send us to a different world, but you sent us in its future as well. Your final move: condemning us to deal with this world's shit."_

Was he trembling with contained fury, or was that the world trembling in fear of him and his wrath?

"Oi, Estevan!" The soft, even voice sliced through the red haze in his mind. He looked straight ahead, seeing Josh kneeling before another window. Of course, he'd notice. "Unless you want the Captain to be up your ass for slacking off, I suggest you get back to work." It almost sickened Estevan at how much like a soldier he sounded.  _Almost_. And no sooner as he said it, Josh went back to cleaning the window before him.

"My boot will be up  _your ass_  in a minute, you little-" Another resigned sigh left Estevan and the world stopped trembling. Well, he guessed, there was no point getting worked up over the matter now. The day was still young and he had plenty of time to talk with Josh about their situation. With any luck, the Brit would start the conversation first. He more often than not did.

And the cleaning? Well, let it never be said that something so small would be his end. He'll do it,  _this_  time.

A window opened to his North-West and the short man who was quickly becoming his enemy appeared.

Levi noticed him, their eyes met and the world felt as if it came to a grinding halt. Even with the distances between them, Estevan could clearly see the older man's dull blue eyes. He watched him remove a cloth around his mouth, clearly some kind of pre-age sanitary face mask, just so Estevan could see his mouth drawn into a thin, unintimidated line. Estevan sent him his own cold glare, suddenly very glad that he was parallel to the sky. The sun was peeking out through the clouds and his eyes would reflect the light in crimson glows whilst the scars lining the left side of his face would appear silver. But to his irritation, as far as his sharp eyes could see, Levi's face didn't so much as twitch.

Then something got the Captain's attention and he looked away. The moment ended.

Estevan sighed once more, feeling hollow as the rage drained from him. A sudden thought came to him:  _"Captain Levi._ Just _Levi. No last name. Who the hell are you, soldier?"_

* * *

"I'm going to check out the rooms you've clean," Captain Levi stated dispassionately as he sauntered past Eren without so much of a glance. "Do this one," And with that curt order, he left Eren alone in the room.

Eren didn't mind the lack of company, it gave him time to process what the Captain had just told him. It gave him time to reflect on everything that had happened since he woke up three days ago. He looked out the open window, at the lush trees and blue sky and beyond.

He was under no illusion that people were sceptical of him, if not downright afraid of him, thinking that he'd transform at the drop of a hat and kill everyone. He was ready to be hated and accused of being what he was. He was ready to endure a lonely, despised existence here among the Corps. It was only natural. After all, how many years had people here spent killing Titans? How many people had lost the people they loved to the Titans?

At least, that's what he told himself.

It was surprising how  _numb_  Eren was to everything. He had done it, achieved one of his (of many) childhood dreams. He was a member of the Survey Corps, a member of the renowned Levi Squad no less. But what should have been a sweet victory tasted like ash on his tongue. He could still hear the Captain's utter deadpan words echo in his head,  _"Good news, Yeager. You're now an official member of the Survey Corps."_  Words that should have made him feel elated, overjoyed, instead made him feel like his stomach was going to bloat with sickening dread.

Eren's gaze went from the window to the ground, the cold unfeeling cobblestone. He tried to focus on them, tried to ignore the pain blistering in his chest. His face contorted, a familiar burning swelling behind his eyeballs. They were going to make him sleep in the basement, they were going to keep him locked away like some kind of feral  _beast_  -

"Don't worry, Eren." Nearly leaping out of his skin, the boy turned sharply to see the voice's owner. His startled forest green eyes met kind sunset orange.

Petra Ral offered an apologetic yet understanding smile once she saw his expression. "You seem upset. Trust me, it's nothing to be ashamed about. The Captain always leaves that impression on people who meet him. He's short, temperamental, not exactly a master of social graces and downright unapproachable. Not what you were expecting, right?"

_"That's putting it mildly,"_ The real Captain Levi was nothing at all like Captain Levi that Eren had all but worshipped back when he was a child. Back before everything went to hell. Back before  _they_ appeared. However, he decided to correct his (rather short, he noted) superior. "It's not that, really. It's more the fact that he's so dead set on following the higher-up's commands."

A look of weary, amused understanding covered Petra's face. "Ah, I see. You thought because he carries a lot of weight that he wouldn't be concerned with rank or care about the command structure?"

_"Isn't that what the Guyvers do?"_  Is what Eren wanted to say but he kept the words firmly locked in his heart. He knew that, should he speak them, it would more than likely sour his already poor relationship with his comrades. That and Eren had no idea if any of the warmth Petra Ral was expressing was actually genuine. She wasn't looking at him as though she expected him to rip her throat out at the slightest provocation, had no weapon on her person (save a broom) and he decided to take that as a good sign. "Well yeah," He said instead, scratching the back of his head. "I thought he wouldn't take orders from anybody."

"I don't know all the details, but..." The woman paused, made a small show of looking around for anyone else besides them before she leant forward slightly. Her voice dropped to the tone one would use as if they were trading a secret. Eren, intrigued, leant forward himself. "Time was he would have lived up to your expectations. Apparently, he used to be a notorious thug in the city's underground market."

Something must have shown on Eren's face as he jerked back in shock, Petra giggling lightly. The boy was suddenly struck with the image of Levi beating the ever living crap out of some poor drunk in some piss-soaked ally. But when he compared this information to the Captain's already, admittedly, thuggish features, it didn't seem that improbable. "Then how...I mean-"

"Who knows? So many people have different theories. The most popular though involves Erwin. They say he dragged him to the Corps kicking and screaming!"

"The Commander?!" Eren was quite sure that his mind had been blown wide open. It was simply impossible to believe! Commander Erwin, unflinching and brave, bringing a thug into the Survey Corps?!

"What's going on?" The seemingly fixed face of Captain Levi appeared from the doorway. Petra flinched and immediately begun sweeping the floor, looking quite resilient to not look Levi in the eye. Eren went very still. There was an unpleasant gleam in the short man's eyes.

"Your cleaning is lamentable," Levi grunted, glowering at Eren as if he had done something truly unforgivable. The boy was suddenly  _quite_  concerned for his life. "Do it all again."

Eren made an odd, squawking sound as his mouth fell open and failed to produce words. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Petra stifle another giggle. That's what the Captain was upset about?!

Seriously, what was his deal?! It had taken Eren  _half an hour_  to clean the room the first time, and now Levi wanted him to do it again just because it wasn't up to standard?!

Just as that familiar feeling flickered and burned in his breastbone, like so many countless times before, sounds from outside caught his attention. It started off distant before gradually sounding as though it was right outside the window. No, it quickly dawned on Eren that the sounds were coming from outside the window. In fact, it sounded like  _singing_ :

_"Don't stop me, NOOO~OOW!_   
_I'm having such a good time_   
_I'm having a ball!_   
_Don't stop me, NOOO~OOW!_   
_If you wanna have a good time_   
_Just give me a call!"_

Eren, instantly recognising the voice, found any and all anger draining from him as he rushed to the open window. Turning his body to save himself from having to crane and subsequently strain his neck, he was rewarded with the sight of Guyver Yin cleaning the window above him. He was on his hands and knees  _above_  the window, washing the upper part of it whilst a bucket floated in midair beside him. The White Guardian, Hero of the People, cleaning a window like a lowly grunt. As he continued singing to himself, it quickly became apparent to Eren that he wasn't noticing his wide-eyed stare. The boy's stomach twisted uneasily.

A hand roughly grabbed the back of his uniform and he was promptly dragged away from the window. He met Captain Levi's eyes, on a face that was now uncomfortably close to his own, which held a gleam that made his stare much for threatening than it had been before. "I said get back upstairs," He said, voice soft and dangerous. "Now get going."

Eren found that his current fear of punishment at the hands of Captain Levi was greater than any wish he had to speak to the Guyvers. He felt a dull throbbing in his right incisor. "Y-yes Sir!" He quickly made his way out of the room, avoiding Petra's eyes, a slight smile tugging his lips when he then heard the short man bark irritably at the hero.

He found that the idea that the Captain was annoyed that he couldn't clean the windows as easily as the Guyvers could not completely implausible.

* * *

With so small amount of effort that it bordered on non-existent, Estevan pushed the door open.

He cast his apathetic gaze around the room. It was, shockingly, another bedroom. This one had certainly taken a pounding from time, thick with dirt, dust and cobwebs. His eyes, nose and ears picked up on the smaller details, ones that a normal person would have missed easily. He could see the particles of dust floating in the air, illuminated by the light that just got through the dirty window. He could hear the spiders and other creepy crawlies scurrying on the walls, near their webs. He could smell the dirt that had collected on the ground beneath his feet, an earthy odour that just came close to being unbearable.

His object was clear: Clean the room.

His way to do it was even easier.

He made his way to the other end of the room, opening the wind. Once that was done, he placed himself in the centre of the room and took a breath. He rose his right hand until the symbol in the centre of his palm was in level with his eyes and rotated it at the wrist. The glowing outline of a circle appeared on his forehead.

Behind him, the door closed shut.

Fresh air from outside flowed into the room in a manner more in-fitting with water, rolling around the area like invisible waves. Estevan stood solid, his hand the only thing moving. Gradually, the flow of wind begun to increase and move faster, to the point where it seemed as though the young American was at the centre of a small, weak tornado. After two minutes, Estevan's body tensed and he thrust both his hands forward. A wave of air flew over his shoulders and head and out the window. He didn't need to open his eyes to see that the wave was tinted with dirt, looking to those outside like the castle had released a puff of smoke.

The deed was done, he straightened, opened his eyes and twitched his fingers. The window closed quietly. He looked over his work, allowing himself to take pride in his-

"Ah shit." To Estevan's frustration, the bed's sheet and pillow (which had been quite dirty) were gone. It didn't a genius to guess that they had been picked up in the swirl of manipulated wind and sent out the window. The Captain would have a field day if he learnt of this and Josh would, more than likely, have a good laugh at him. The scarred boy decided that was something he really didn't need, lest he accidentally ripped off the Shorty's head.

But just as he made his way to the door, he stopped. A buzzing rang through his ears. He turned his head, maroon eyes locking onto the small black dots that flew through their air. Estevan's eyebrow twitched. How, in all the levels of Hell, had that Fly managed to not get swept away by the wind? He decided, as he stood very still, waiting, that he didn't want to know the answer.

The Fly eventually decided to take a rest on his right arm. Slowly, Estevan raised his other arm. His left hand came down inhumanly fast, so much so that is appeared to slap onto his right arm in the blink of an eye. There was a minor shockwave of compacted air, making the American's clothes flutter briefly. The whole room seemed to shake for a moment, dust falling from the crevices of the cobblestones.

Estevan pulled his hand away—and the Fly buzzed as it flew off. His jaw parted slightly as he watched it go. His hands shot out, one after the other, faster than the normal human eyes could track. Each grasp of air they took sent out shockwaves. By some improbable luck that had befallen it, the Fly avoided each grab.

As if mocking his efforts, the Fly landed on Estevan's face. On the left side, on his scars in facts. Very slowly, Estevan rotated his left hand until his palm was parallel to the ceiling. Then it collided with his face with the same force of a 5000 series Train going at full speed.

Okay, that hurt. Ow.

The Fly buzzed off and Estevan was enveloped with a cold fury. His hands dangling at his sides, his face (which now sported a smarting red hand print to go along with his scars) became perfectly blank. His maroon eyes shrunk into dots, homing in on the Fly.

His object was simple: KILL THE FUCKING FLY!

And then he disappeared. Or at least this is how it would look had anyone else been present at the time. Had anyone else been there, they would have been witness to Estevan Martinez reappearing and disappearing at different points in the room, shockwaves of air generated by each clap of his hands, frozen in his attempts at swatting the Fly.

And yet the buzzing little insect just—

wouldn't—

_die_.

Then the door opened and the Fly made a retreat and he followed with hands moving for the kill only to see Josh's face-

**SLAM!** Estevan's hands, which had been moving at superhuman speed, were formally introduced to the sides of Josh's head. Were Josh a normal human, his head would have been crushed like a watermelon in a hydraulic press. Fortunately for him, and rather unfortunately for Estevan, that was not the case.

As he pulled his hands away, the older brother saw that the younger brother only suffered similar smarting hand marks. On each side of his face. The Brit blinked slowly, face showing not a jot of pain, and a very unimpressed "ow" fell from his lips.

The American opened his mouth to offer an apology, to blame it on that satanic Fly, but no words left him as it was swiftly covered by Josh's hand. The Brit looked side to side, making sure they were alone before he promptly shoved Estevan back into the room. Estevan backed away to gain some personal space, scrubbing his mouth clean. The boy's hand smelled like an old book. "What are you doing?"

"We need to talk." Josh uttered lowly, closing the door behind him with a flick of his wrist.

"About what?" Estevan hated the sudden anxiety that stabbed into him. Was Josh intending to talk about their predicament now?

When the young Brit replied, his words blew away the heady anxiety in Estevan's chest and made him forget all about the damn Fly. Idly, he noted that he was meant to be concerned about some little task, but found himself incapable of remembering what it was.

"About what I and Commander Erwin just talked about."

* * *

**Earlier**

"Guyver Yin." The smooth voice, unlined by cool authority, broke Josh out of his inward singing.

Putting a pause on his cleaning and silencing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody as it played in his head (Captain Levi had been very vocal in his displeasure at him signing aloud), he looked up and was greeted with the sight of Commander Erwin and a stocky man with a moustache. If his memory served him well, which it more often than not did, his name was Mike. "Commander," He greeted with a respectable dip of his head.

Erwin had a small, pleasant smile on his lips that seemed almost out of place with his eyes. They were blue and piercing, like a hawk. Watching Josh with rapt attention, as if he were evaluating him or expecting him to attack. Just from seeing those eyes, Josh knew. He knew that Commander wanted something from him. He kept his face blank, offering nothing for the man to pick up on. "Forgive me if I'm making unjust assumptions, but from what you said in the courts, I get the impression that you and your brother don't know much about our world."

The look in the man's eyes hadn't abated, but his words had gotten Joshua's interest. "That's quite on the mark, to be honest."

The Commander gestured to the path he and Mike must have walked to meet him. "If it's no trouble, I'd like to discuss this world's history with you. Also, what with your experience and knowledge, I was hoping you could help us with strategies on reclaiming Wall Maria."

Josh continued to look up at the Commander (Well, technically he was looking  _down_ , as he was kneeling  _above_  the window he was currently cleaning. That was the problem when one had the power to manipulate gravity, directions were often skewered), studying the man's face. It offered nothing that suggested an ulterior motive, nothing sinister, yet the look in his eyes-

_"I'm looking too much into this."_

Standing tall, Josh walked down the wall of the castle. His bucket of water levitated beside his head, following his decent. Once he made it back to the ground, the bucket gently placed itself on the ground. The look of barely concealed awe on Erwin's face, coupled with the open surprise in his eyes, made Josh smile. These reaction he and Estevan were getting weren't going to get old anytime soon. "Lead the way, Commander."

Barely ten minutes later, Josh found himself within Erwin's office. It was, he bet, the best room in the whole castle. It must have been cleaned first too because it looked immaculate and already felt quite homey. The White Guardian looked over the room, taking in the features. Two full bookshelves, two settees with a small table between them, high-priced looking curtains draped over the window behind the main desk that Erwin quickly sat behind. Mike moved to stand before the window, looking outside.

Josh's eyes quickly fell upon the paper that took up a good portion of Erwin's desk. He pointed at it, "The formation you plan to use?" It was never good to assume, so the saying went, but whenever Josh did he was more than often right.

This instant was no exception as Erwin nodded in confirmation. "This is the formation we use when scouting into Wall Maria. It was devised as a means to avoid Titans so there could be fewer casualties."

"That's great," Josh said, genuinely pleased and he allowed it to show on his face. If he were to understand the sketch correctly, each group warns the other of possible Titan activity and then the others can move to avoid them. It was simple and logical and Josh instantly loved it because of that. "Does it work?"

"Yes, it does minimise the number of deaths. However," The space between Erwin's thick brows crinkled as he looked down at the sketch. "On average, casualties are always thirty percent."

_"Thirty percent."_

The statistics, the horrible rounded sum of lost life, hit Josh like a punch in the gut. He felt it, blowing the wind out of his lungs in a rough exhale. Any joy on his face quickly left, like water flowing down a smooth surface as the full weight of that statistic hung on his shoulders and made his head lower. There were no words he could say, nothing he could think to say. What  _could_  he say? Suddenly, Josh felt like he was going to be violently sick.

_"My fault."_

All that life, all those people—

Dead.

Because of  _him._

_"All my fault."_

Josh had to think of something else, anything else, lest he allowed the world to rise up and swallow him whole. And what better to talk about than ask the obvious question. "The Titans," Months of practice came into play and Josh forced his eyes to meet Erwin and kept his voice levelled and controlled. The man was still watching him, hardly blinking. Hardly twitching a muscle. The Brit was a little bit more than unnerved. Had the blonde notice anything from his momentary plight? "What are they?"

"We don't know."

"You're fighting against an enemy you know nothing about?" Why bother mincing his words?

"No information exists that explains the origins of the Titans. It's said that they first appeared over a hundred years ago, driving humanity to the brink of extinction. Those that survived the onslaught constructed the Walls: Maria, Rose, and Sina. We lived behind those Walls since, in peace, with us, the Survey Corps, fighting against the Titans. That is, as I'm sure you're aware, until the Colossal and Armored Titan appeared."

"I am," Josh's heart felt heavy, like a ball of lead and he found himself looking away from the man. It was suddenly very hard to look at him. "My brother and I were there when it happened."

Erwin went on as though he hadn't heard him. "The only way we can regain our lost lands is by sealing the breach, but that's easier said than done. And now Eren's unknowingly made the task more difficult."

Josh looked back, raising a brow. "How so?"

"The route from Trost was the most direct way to Shinganshina, the same route we've been using for the past five years. But now that that's been sealed, we have to work around it. We intend to ride south from the Karanes District, towards the breach. If we seal them accordingly-"

"You will be able to reclaim all the land you were forced to abandon five years ago, yes, I understand." Josh decided to finish for the Commander.

Erwin nodded, unfazed. "I want to know if there are any changes that you feel are needed to be made to the formation."

"On our world, battle plans like these are primitive. Warfare is in such a way that different means to managing battles have developed. That, and my brother and I didn't use strategies like these for the enemy we were fighting. But, after looking over this, I think it's fine." Josh looked at the bookshelf on his left, eyes scanning over the spines. They were all military and history books, nothing fictional. Well, there went his hopes of finding something interesting to read. He walked over to it, saying, "You remember what I said in the courtroom? About weapons?"

"Yes, I remember." He felt Erwin's eyes on him, never leaving him as he pulled out a history book. It's title and author were unimportant to him, what mattered was its content. He opened it and begun to read the first page. "You don't want to help us with making weapons. I can understand that given the destructive capability your armour possesses. You fear that they'll fall into the wrong hands?"

"Weapons breed violence, violence breeds death and death breeds misery." The history book was terribly dull. The author clearly just wanted to get his thoughts onto paper, be damned if anyone else thought they were good or not.

After a small beat of silence, the man (Josh was certain that his name was Mike. He really should ask to be sure, but that would be terribly embarrassing) asked. "When's our next expedition?"

"In a month's time," Erwin answered.

Another stretch of silence. Josh looked over the other books, trying to find something more appealing to read.

"So...we're thirty days out from an expedition beyond the Walls, with a fresh batch of green rookies along for the ride?" Mike's tone was a dry drawl, almost sarcastic in disbelief. His voice didn't rise above its level tone.

"Assuming any sign-up, yes," Erwin said easily.

Josh continued to play the illusion that he was even remotely interested in the books before him. The tone in which the two men spoke to each other was remarkably casual and at ease, nothing like a soldier and his superior would speak to each other. Did this mean that Erwin and Mike were close, friends from training? Or something else?

Or did this mean that Estevan's constant hate boner for everything soldiers and the like had made his paranoid? Now  _that_  was a frighting thought.

"Not to be pessimistic, but isn't that a bit rash? Honestly, those rookies will be torn apart the minute they set foot outside the Walls."

"Our custody of Eren is conditional on the results of this mission," Erwin said smoothly. That little strand of information hit Josh like a stone to the skull. Just like that, he now knew just of fragile Eren's placement was in the Corps. He would tell Estevan the second he could. But— "Right now, our first order of business is persuading the Brass we have him under our control, that he's an asset, not a-

With a snap, Josh closed the book shut. Erwin went quiet and Josh knew, even without looking, that he had his undivided attention. "Eren Yeager is not a thing to be controlled. He's a person, a young man with powers that are his own. Whether or not he uses them for you is his choice, not yours."

"He's a soldier who's given his vow to fight for humanity, under my orders if the need arises." Erwin's voice became as hard and as cold as blue ice. "That means that, actually, his powers  _can_  be used for my orders. Should the need arises."

Had this been said to Estevan Martinez, he would have exploded in rage and go on about how only Eren was the master of his own life, that he was entitled to make his own decisions, not Erwin Smith. That all people were entitled to make their own choices, no matter what the situation or the outcome. He would have grabbed Erwin by the neck, daring him to say it again as he brought forth all the wrath of Guyver Yang upon him.

But Joshua Martin wasn't Estevan Martinez.

And whilst Joshua vehemently agreed with  _some_  his brother's beliefs, all of which were just points, he was not quick to anger. And any that he did feel was smothered, put away with everything else that ever angered him. With all other strong emotional reactions. Because anger wouldn't win wars or fights, only a person who calmly assesses the situation before them would win.

That is one thing Joshua Martin believed.

That is how he differed from Estevan Martinez.

That is why they were an effective duo.

Putting the book back onto its place on the shelf, he turned to meet the Commander's eyes. "You are an unusual man, Commander Erwin, but not as ambiguous as you may hope to be." The blonde's eyes twitched, a small hint of shock entering them. Josh walked over to the desk until he was standing before Erwin. "Ever since we've been here, you haven't asked the obvious question."

Erwin blinked, looking totally lost. "And what question would that be?"

Josh smiled knowingly. "Can me and my brother, with the Guyver Units, clear the boulder blocking the route from Trost to Shinganshina."

The look of naked shock on Erwin's face, something that looked so out of place on such a stern and unflappable countenance, was rather satisfying. Mike, who had otherwise remained completely neutral throughout their exchange, surprised him by concurring: "He's right. Asking them to make an entrance would be the easiest, clearest course of action. I bet that would be nothing to you, right?"

Mike was looking at him. The question was for him. Josh nodded. "Easily." Making a hole through a boulder would be simple, he reflected. Between the two of them, Josh and Estevan had plenty of energy attacks to spare. The Mega Blasters would be too much, too damaging for the task. Their High-Frequency Blades would be more than up to the task, though would be rather time-consuming. Though to be fair, they had time in abundance.

"Instead, you want us to move from an Eastern district which is not only needlessly time-consuming but also highly dangerous." Mike gave his Commander a dry, knowing look. "All that stuff you said before was just your way of not giving us a straight answer."

Erwin looked at Mike, baffled before he closed his eyes and lowered his head. Then he smirked. "You're sharp." He opened his eyes and looked at Josh approvingly. "Both of you."

"Do not assume that my young age makes me gullible," Josh said, his seventeen-year-old voice dropping an octave. It was a wonder how his breath didn't leave him in a burst of vapour. "I have brought down far more powerful men that you, Commander. Men who had become far more, and less, than human."

"I never had such thoughts in mind," Erwin said, leaning back in his chair. A gleam of interest was in his eyes, clearly about what Josh had said. There was not a hint that suggested that the words had worried him. Not that they were meant to. "In my experience, age isn't a factor when it comes to intelligence."

Josh waved the comment aside like it was an annoying fly. He narrowed his eyes at the man, just under a suspicious glare. "The fact that the old man, Zackly, and the other Military people didn't seem to be fazed at all by your statement to hold custody over us implies that they too think you're up to something. I was shocked that none of them called you out on it. So that leaves me to wonder: What  _exactly_  are you aiming for, Commander?"

Erwin's smirk became a smile. Smooth, calm, a little playful even. Cryptically, the blonde said to both he and Mike. "You'll have the facts soon enough."

Josh didn't like that answer. It was vague and confusing and just plain annoying. Was the Commander treating this like a game? He opened his mouth to reply, to try and gauge a proper answer out of him before a faint sound tickled his eardrums. He turned to look at the door, the sound originating from behind.

Erwin noticed. "What's the matter?"

"Did you hear that?" No sooner than when the words left his lips did he hear it again, twice more, far more clearly. Sounds akin to muffled grenades going off. The sounds went off again, now more frequently, one after the other. Josh stretched his senses, feeling the faint vibrations in the cobblestone ground and the distortions of air currents. Suddenly, he knew exactly what that was.

"What is that?" Mike sounded perplexed.

"My brother," Josh said the words through a long-suffering, exasperated sigh. He looked back to the Commander, keeping himself from smiling apologetically. "Thank you for the interesting conversation, Commander. It was...informative." He fully turned away, waving a hand. The door opened. "If you'll excuse me."

Joshua didn't want to wait for a response. He pitched his body forward slightly, barely moving at all, and then he was gone. The office and it occupants were far behind him and he was running, flying past people in a blur of speed that kicked up dust, knocked over cleaning supplies and made women and men alike cry out in surprise and trip over themselves. To Erwin and Mike, it would appear as though he disappeared in a burst of air.

He hoped he wouldn't find his brother doing something stupid.

* * *

For a few moments, Erwin could only stare at the empty space where Guyver Yin (or Joshua Martin, he wasn't sure which was preferred) had occupied. The burst of air he had made in his departure hadn't knocked anything over, thankfully, merely causing him to close his eyes for a brief second.

With a sigh he leaned back against his chair, staring up at the ceiling. That had been rather intense if he did say so himself.

When he had told Mike of his plan, his friend had protested. He made just points, questioning if it was wise to share such information with an unknown factor. But Erwin had been adamant about his choice, genuine in his desire to gain the opinions of the Guyvers. He had hoped to have both, but he didn't complain to have just one. Besides, if his brief interactions with the two before their trial were anything to go by, Yin seemed to be the more reasonable of the two.

There had been another reason for his decision: He had hoped to gain perspective of the two brothers.

The major surprise that came with the reveal that the heroes of the people, the Black and White Guardians, were two young men had not been lost to Erwin Smith. As the boys explained themselves, he had been shocked still in a mixture of bafflement and sheer disbelief.

It was almost impossible to believe, that these two boys that one would pass in a street without even noticing them could be the renowned legends that seemingly just fell out of the sky. Young men.

Young,  _human_  men.

This opened countless doors and offered endless possibilities.

Men were weak and fallible. Men with power could send hundreds to their deaths without a single gain of guilt. Men with no power, but who strive for it, would jump at any opportunity to obtain it. Erwin knew this, he knew this very well. The question remained:

Could he, a Commander, control them, those Gods among mortal men?

"They're not what you were expecting, right?" Erwin brought himself out of his head enough to answer Mike's question.

"Nothing in life is ever what we expect it to be," Erwin said distantly, already being washed away by the currents of his mind. "But that's hardly important. Whether they agree with us or not, we've still gained invaluable allies."

* * *

"He's planning something."

Immediately, Estevan hated how stupidly obvious the fact was as it left his lips. He and Josh were here, holders of two Guyver Units that went far and beyond what any typical Guyver Unit could do, and Eren could turn into a Titan. What else would a man in Erwin Smith's position do? A man in a world where humanities worst enemy were man-eating monsters with technology that could barely hinder them? Plan a way to make them useful, to his ends. Regardless of whatever their few point on the matter was.

"I know," Josh said, looking out the window. He had been staring out for the last thirty seconds. "But there's nothing we can do about it right now. Acting out will only make our already delicate situation more difficult."

"That a lot of people believe that we essentially abandoned them five years ago and that we can't be trusted?"

"Exactly. They'll be looking for an excuse, however small. We can't give them one."

Estevan grunted his understanding, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall. He fixed his pensive stare on the cobblestones, face etched into an unreadable expression. Behind that stony expression, his mind worked. He tried to imagine if he could last against the constant annoyances that he was sure to face. His imaginings all came to the same conclusion: No. No, he would not.

"We have to be smart about this." Josh's voice was quiet, hiding an undercurrent of steel. He turned his head, one eye staring seriously into Estevan. "This is their world, not ours. We have to abide by their rules, their decisions."

Something lurched in Estevan's chest and fury scalded the back of his throat. "I  _will not_  take orders from puppets." He hissed through his teeth.

"I'm not asking you to," Josh looked back out the window, as though Estevan didn't look like he was about to spontaneously combust. It was both incredible and irritating as hell, his little brother's calmness. "I'm saying you must behave yourself. And that, until we understand what's happening to this world, we must be careful."

A thoughtful look melted the stony expression off Estevan's face. "What are you thinking?"

"Oh, I have plenty of theories. On the Titans, that is." Josh half turned his body, facing the wall. Estevan could see that his eyes were closed and there was a tired, wane smile on his lips. He wished it would disappear, be replaced by something more positive. It didn't belong on Josh's face. "Weapons made by humans during a time of war? Scientific experiments/biological weapons of mass destruction? An environmental response to the overpopulation of humanity? A result of disease or genetic mutation, artificially created to control the population? The next stage of human evolution?"

"More like devolution," Estevan muttered, hiding the fact that each possible truth shot a spear of ice through him. They had no idea, no solid proof, and that was terrifying in its own right.  _"Nothing is scarier."_  He remembered reading once, in what felt like a lifetime ago. One thing was clear to him and he voiced it to Josh. "I think it's pretty clear-cut that this has something to do with man. After all, we are the architects of our own destruction."

"Not all of us," Josh quickly countered, shooting a sharp look to Estevan from over his shoulder, his voice low but firm. The American smiled ever so slightly. There it was, Josh's unwavering belief in the fundamental goodness of people. Always willing to look at others in a different light, never in just one shade.

Sometimes, Estevan wished he could be like that.

_Sometimes._

"But yes, I have to agree." The Brit digressed. He closed his eyes and sighed, keeping them closed as he spoke. "Man-made monsters does seem like the most likely explanation for the Titans. But-"

"Eren."

"Sorry?" Josh gave his brother a questioning look, speaking in that gentlemanly tone that hid how vexed he was at being interrupted.

Estevan only briefly thought on how much he could have cared less about that. "Eren, what does that make him?" He said.

Josh closed his eyes again with a sigh, as though the answer was obvious. He kept them closed as he said. "Not sure yet. Questions for later. Anyway, as I was saying, I find the idea that the Titans could push humanity to the edge of extinction in only a hundred years slightly...odd."

Estevan raised a brow. "How so?"

"If it really took only a century for the Titans to do all  _this_ , then there would be more concrete information on how it happened. More to that, how could the survivors possibly create the Walls? With all the settlements and the difference in land space between the Walls, along with the fact the Titans seemed completely unstoppable in their hunt for food, it really should have been impossible for anyone to make the Walls."

"The information could have been destroyed. I mean, between fighting for their lives and reclaiming their lands, keeping maintenance on information would be at the bottom of their list."

"Someone would remember, a person who would have been alive in those early years. They would pass the information on, to their relatives and descendants. Yet no one knows, not a single person. Everyone merely has speculations. I had a look through one of Erwin's history books, complete speculation. He had many books, all by different authors. I bet they all have different ideas." Josh was glaring at the wall before him, as though it had all the answers and was keeping it from him. Or perhaps he was fuming at the idea of all that paper wasted on useless ideas? Who knew?

Estevan leaned his head back, brows furrowed in thought. The American wasn't stupid, he would sooner tear the tongue out of anyone who claimed him to be. But between the two of them, Joshua was more of the thinker than he was. Josh was the one to look deeper, dissect the situation before them and suggest the best possible plan of action. One that didn't get thousands of people killed.

Estevan, in contrast, had a simple mindset: Protect friends and loved one with his life. Eradicate any and all who threatened them.

But still, Estevan thought. He would offer his opinions to Josh, however brash or foolish they may sound to him and hoped that they would help him. His younger brother had an almost disturbing knack for working things out well in advance.

He worked over what they knew and what they had discussed:

The Titans.

The Walls

Lack of knowledge.

Divided land.

Uneven military.

Royalty.

It struck Estevan like lighting. So sudden and so unbelievable that he himself was certain that Josh would scoff and toss it aside. But it made so much sense, worked so well, how could it not be the truth?

Taking a breath and swallowing the rocks in his throat, he hesitantly put forth. "They could have been killed."

A small pause.

"Explain that." He could feel Josh's eyes on him, burning into the side of his face, but he dared not meet his gaze.

"A person in power, of royalty or high up in the military, could have had those people killed. If they wanted to erase that information, keep it from becoming general knowledge. Then the killers are sworn to silence or are silenced, so no loose ends remain."

The words hung in the air and Estevan waited for them to be discarded. The only things that could be heard were the distant talk of soldiers and of construction farther off. But then he heard Josh gasp, quietly and in disbelief, and he turned to see his little brother's face curled in shock. He wasn't looking at him though, his eyes were far away and drowning in thought. He knew that look well. "My God, you're right." He then turned away, left hand rising to cover his mouth. The troubled look that took his face made Estevan tense and move off the Wall, ready to spring into action if he had to. "Who else could destroy such information? But why? To stay in power? To keep the world as it is? I don't-"

He broke off, falling silence under the weight of their subject matter. Estevan watched as Josh's shoulder rose and fell with deep, calming breaths. That wasn't a good sign, he felt his own heart constrict with uneasiness. "What are you thinking?" Unlike before when he had said those words, playful and curious, this time they were said with grim anticipation for the undoubtedly dour answer.

"I'm thinking," Josh muttered tightly, through his hand, an ominous ring with each slightly muffled word. "That there is far more at work in this world that appearances would have us believe. And that we must look for answers."

Estevan had nothing to say in response to that, his lips pressed into a tight, thin line as his gaze lowered to the floor. All he could think about was how the hell Josh expected them to find out anything. The silence that blanketed them was heavy, the young scarred man could feel it weighing on his shoulders like lead weights.

His gaze returned to the Brit's back when he next spoke. "It's amazing, really. That despite all this, despite the sheer bleakness of their situation, the Survey Corps continue to fight against the Titans. No matter how many of them die. They just get up, and try again."

The grimace returned. "You sound like you respect them..."

The sharp look returned, thrown over a shoulder. "I respect anyone who continues to fight against impossible odds, against overwhelming despite and death. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't feel even a smidgen of respect for them."

It was a dare and neither of the brothers would back down before the other. Joshua's eyes were a natural brown, like dirt, so unlike the reddish brown of Estevan's maroon eyes that reflected the light in pinpoints of crimson red. Estevan eventually lost the dare, averting his eyes to the wall on his right with a vexed expression. Words left his lips. "I won't try to like them, or be nice to them."

Of course he respected them. Just as Josh said, anyone who could fight against the seeming impossible deserved respect. He just wished that they weren't soldiers, all of them. That way, he might of-

"I already told you, I'm not asking you to. I'm merely saying that we can't expect them to act like anyone back home. The people of this world have seen too much, lost too much." The younger male allowed that hung in the air before he clapped his hands together and turned fully to face his brother. "Now, that aside," Like a switch had been flipped, Josh's formal tone became jovial. "I spied some bed sheets outside, which I am assuming belongs to the bed?"

Estevan pointedly refused to look at Josh and the damn smile that he knew was on his lips. He felt his face go warm.

A soft, amused scoff left the Brit. "I thought so. C'mon." Josh made his way to the door, looking as though nothing could bring him down. "Let's get them back here before the Captain notices. I doubt you want him up in your face about it."

Estevan snorted. "That Hobbit would need a chair to do that." The American grinned as Josh released a peal of laughter. When he thought about it, it had been a long while since he last heard his brother laugh. He allowed himself to feel pride in bringing it back.

He followed the sniggering boy out of the room, leaving the discussion and its ultimate conclusion to be put on the back burner for the time being.

The answers would come, Estevan told himself. They would come.

* * *

Together, side by side, they walked.

The night was mostly silent, save for the sounds of incests.

The air was cold and fresh.

No, fresh was too simple.

Taking a lungful of the night air through his nose that then left in a calm exhale, Josh's senses could detect none of the air pollution that their world was inflicted with. It only served to confirm that which Josh had voiced aloud the moment he had seen the landscape from atop of Wall Maria, that day that was five years ago for everyone else but only four days for himself and Estevan.

_"Beautiful,"_  He had said, words distorted by the Guyver. And how true those words were.

This world, for all the death it had suffered, was pure. Clean from the sickness mankind caused.

Beside him, Estevan was quiet. He was not like his younger brother, the Brit reflected, who could sum himself up in one word: taciturn. There was an ugly, annoying elephant in the room that's presence was growing more and more unbearable by the second. The more Josh tried to ignore it, tried to put it out of his mind, the louder it would bellow for attention. With his rising fatigue, Josh found his usual impeccable patience beginning to wane.

Were they normal humans, Joshua was certain that they would be suffering from symptoms of sleep depravity and the like. But the Guyvers kept them awake, pumping their bodies with a kind of stimuli that kept their brains fully energized and their bodies free from stress. This had helped tremendously for the past few days, even the three days they spent in the prison whilst waiting for their trial. Now though, after spending a full day without using their armour, the fatigue was creeping up on them and Estevan was yawning every few minutes. Josh smothered his own into his hands.

He was looking forward to a nice cool bed. He had no plan for getting up early. He hoped to sleep at least eight hours, more if he was lucky. The odds were in his favour, he'd like to think, for when it came to sleeping in late there was no one better (save his brother after a long, productive day of crime-fighting).

After helping his brother fix the bed he had unintentionally throw out the window, Joshua had pulled Estevan aside and had brought him along to Erwin's office. They, or rather Josh, had discussed where exactly they were going to sleep. Josh had, politely, asked for a room with two beds. Neither brother found it awkward to share a room, they had done so before and it just made so many different things easier. Erwin had agreed and had personally led them to a room on the third level of the castle. People stopped to stare and whisper, Josh paid them no mind. Estevan seemed keen to make himself as frightening as possible as he glowered or growled at anyone whose eyes lingered too long on them.

It was a decent room, Josh thought. Nothing to gloat about. Two beds on either side of the room with a desk between them, before a window. Enough space for both of them to move around without feeling confined, a bookshelf filled with both that Josh knew were going to be as boring as death and a wardrobe filled with new clothes (a pair of soldiers were in the process of filling it with clothes before Erwin opened the door). Josh had some  _slight_  reservations about the clothes but he kept the thought to himself.

Josh had thanked the Commander, saying the room was brilliant. Estevan had grunted and muttered that it would do. Erwin had smiled, a polite, friendly thing, and left them to enjoy it. Both boys had given the room a brief look over while the soldiers, a young man and a mousy looking woman, waited with bated breath. They both, silently, concluded that the room was a room. Estevan left in a hurry and Josh, once he finally took notice of the soldiers, muttered a hurried 'carry on' before making his escape.

The moon hung in the night sky, large and luminous, and Josh could only think about how  _comfortable_  those pillows had looked-

"We can't go back, can we?"

_"Bollocks."_

Well, there went the comfortable silence.

Josh looked as Estevan tiredly, heart clenching as he noticed his brother's eyes were filled with a resigned, yet utterly profound sadness that did not belong in those maroon eyes. Swallowing back the sudden, stifling stuffiness that clogged his throat all the way down to his stomach, Josh nodded stiffly. "No." He croaked, looking back in front of him. It was easier to talk about their situation without having to look his brother in the eye and say no, they couldn't go back home. "I've thought about what happened at every possible angle, thought of every possible way we could counter, and all my conclusions are the same:

"We can't replicate  _that kind_  of power. It's a kind of power I didn't think  _they_  could possibly possess."

"The power to open doorways between words, to parallel universes...yeah, that is a pretty fuckin' crazy power." Estevan exhaled a hash, shaky bark of pained laughter. "Fuck, shit. They think we're dead, don't they? They have to. Tetsurō, Mizuki, Yohei, Shizu..." Josh pressed his lips into a thin line, trying to keep his face a blank canvas as the emotions boiled scathingly in his chest. "Fuck, Josh, our friends probably think we're  _dead_. That we died fighting  _him_  and-"

"Estevan." The numb word left Josh's numb lips and flopped to the ground like a dead fish. It had an effect on his brother. The younger brother watched as the older brother went as still as a stone statue, inhaling sharply. He seemed to remember that yes, his brother was right beside him. As always. With a harsh curse, Estevan turned away, angrily scrubbing his eyes. After a painful moment that seemed to stretch into an eternity of agony, Estevan inhaled sharply and begun moving again.

"I'm  _fine_ ," He growled, sounding as livid as his face suggested. "I'm  _fine_ , everything's  _fine_."

_"Lair,"_  Josh wanted to spit, the word like acid on his tongue, glaring at his brother's back as he followed him. Now they no longer walked side by side, instead, the Brit lagged a few steps behind the American. Despite Josh's natural response to comfort and help his brother, to rid him of his pain, he knew it wouldn't be appreciated. Something like fire was burning behind Josh's eyes and his gaze was blurring. He clenched his teeth so hard they could have shattered rocks, nails digging into the palm of his hands.

_"Stop it. Stop it! Now is_ not _the time. Calm down. Breath and stop being such a damn-"_

"OW!"

"FUCK!"

Josh hadn't realised that he had stopped moving. He did though, hear what sounded like a woman cry out in pain and his brother swear passionately. Immediately, pain being shoved into that place where he would deal with it later, the Brit broke into a jog and arrived at the scene. Cradling his face and muttering curses over and over, Estevan looked as though he had run into a brick wall.

Lord, please don't let it be that he walked into the bloody door.

That was not the case, thankfully. For on the ground in the doorway was a withering woman covering her face with her hands.

Instantly, Josh lurched to her side. "I'm so sorry, are you alright?" He had a hand stretched out, ready to offer her help if she needed it. He then took notice of the flaming torch beside her, a beacon of light in the otherwise dark night, and quickly took it in his other hand via a use of his telekinesis.

A sudden change came over the woman.

She became utterly still, as though she were a recording put on pause. And then she shot up to a seating position and Josh flinched. An overwhelming sense of dread shot through him as he met an intense pair of wide, carmine eyes. And then, replacing the frightful glare, came a look of pure elation that was no less off-putting. He recognized the face and her name instantly sprung to the forefront his mind.

The Survey Corps Squad Leader, Hanji Zoe.

"Guyver Yin! Good evening!" And then she was grabbing both his hands with her own (he positioned the torch so her hair wouldn't catch alight) and shoved her face so close to his own that Josh had the urge to alter his biochemistry and stretch his head far from his neck. Something in the back of his skull told him that wouldn't have been a smart move. "Ah, I see your human form is just like everyone else. Shame honestly. I was hoping for glowing skin or eyes, something  _Godly_ , y'know? But beggars can't be choosers!"

Joshua should have told her not to call him Guyver Yin whilst he was outside the armour, make a point that Yin was just a cover for when he was fighting back in his world, but he was more focused on trying not to pass out from the heat that burned all over his face. It had nothing to do with the fact that the face of a rather attractive woman was perhaps inches away from his own. No, certainly not.

"God, how are you  _standing_?" Estevan's miffed voice drifted from somewhere to his left. Josh found himself in an intense staring contest with Hanji, who almost looked as though she were scanning every part of his skin. Not once did she blink. Subconsciously, he found himself looking over her own features. Her carmine eyes, maroon hair much like Estevan's tied up in an unkempt high ponytail with bangs parted down the middle. It was oily and unclean, telling Josh that she hardly (if ever) washed it. She didn't smell, thankfully.

At the sound of his voice, her gaze snapped over to him so sharply Josh would have expected her neck to break. The subtle vibrations in the air told Josh that Estevan was now standing and had flinched while his eyes lingered on her neck and years of tutoring from his parents kept his eyes there and only there. "Guyver Yang!" Promptly yanking the torch out his hands without a word, leaving him to be engulfed by the shadows, the woman was now in Estevan's face. Who, Josh noted with amusement as the heat receded from his face, looked quite lost at the present moment.

"Your eyes glow," Hanji observed, moving the torch side to side before the still Estevan. With his eyes wide open, it was impossible for the Squad Leader to miss how Estevan's eyes reflected the light of the torch as crimson red blurs. "Well, kinda," She really did sound disappointed. What was she expecting, for them to vomit rainbows and urinate fire?

"That's just what they do," The Amercian uttered tightly, awkwardly. He was clearly just as uncomfortable as his younger brother had been a moment ago.

Josh decided then to save his brother. And Hanji, before she pushed the wrong button. "I'm quite amazed you have so much energy, considering you must have spent most of the day experimenting." He remarked. He had overheard and been a little bit more than baffled when he heard that Hanji was  _experimenting_  on two Titans that had been captured in Trost. He had gone to the centre of the Castle to see for himself, only to promptly decided against the notion when he heard what could almost be passed as the sound of banshees mating.

"Sleep is for the weak!" Hanji proclaimed dramatically, whirling to face to Josh so quickly that the young man had to fight the natural response to step back in fright, the flaming torch whooshing audibly as she did so. Behind her, Estevan heaved a sigh of relief. "Who could sleep when a mountain of information, the potential answers to a million unanswered questions, lay at your fingertips?!"

Profound? Quite. Weird? Absolutely.

Hanji's whole body seemed to defeat with her sad sigh. "And while I'd love to stay and pick your brains," Josh twitched at the mental image that sentence gave him, the sudden hungry gleam in the woman's eyes as she stared at him not helping at all. "I need to see Eren! I've got  _so much_  to talk to him about! Do you know where he's at?"

Josh shared a glance with Estevan, both knowing that the other was thinking the same thing: Should they or should they not be concerned for Eren now that they knew Hanji Zoe was looking for him like a hunter would meat? The Brit decided he didn't want his brain to be removed. "Inside the castle, I would think." He answered, voice almost a choke.

"Thanks! Here I come, Eren, ready or not!" Hanji hollered joyously, so loudly it was bound to wake anyone who had decided to go to bed early, and with that, she ran off.

Josh and Estevan remained by the open doorway, blanketed in moonlit darkness. Neither of them found the words to speak for a long moment. It was Estevan, once again, who broke the silence as he turned to look at Josh. Lite by the moonlight, the older brother's dumbfounded expression was visible to the Brit. He idly noticed his maroon eyes reflecting the white light in red pinpoints. "Should we-"

Josh held up a hand, halting his brother's verbal bafflement, and uttered in exasperation, "No. No, we should not." As he walked through the doorway, followed by Estevan after a moment's pause, the White Guardian sent a silent thank you to Hanji.

Her intervention managed to help them forget the pain, if only for a little while.

She also reminded him that, when he had the chance, he  _had_  to talk with Eren.

* * *

**The Next Day**

Eren Yeager was tired.

No, that was too small a word.

Was there a greater word than exhausted? If so, that would explain his current state  _beautifully_.

It hadn't seemed like a bad idea at the time, he reflected. To speak with Hanji Zoe.

It had been late into the evening and dressed in nightwear, as opposed to the others who all wore their uniforms, Eren had been hoping to just conclude the meeting and go to bed. He hadn't been looking forward to it, really. He had been shown his sleeping quarters when he had finished a task set by Levi and the Captain had led him to the basement so he knew where to go. Needless to say, Eren had not been enthralled by what he saw. But that had been preferable to what he had been going through before the Squad Leader made her entrance.

So far, Levi's Squad (minus the Captain himself, who seemed to be intent on being as completely unlikeable and unapproachable as possible) had been affable towards Eren. Petra was nice enough, while the others treated him as one would expect them to treat a green behind the ears rookie. However, that didn't stop them from watching him out of the corners of their eyes. Didn't stop them from the occasional twitch when he turned to face them or appeared before them unexpected. Didn't stop the subtle distrust that didn't go past Eren notice.

And how could Eren  _not_  uncomfortable when the whole lot of them set their mixed gazes upon him?

He had Eld to thank for that, voicing the sheer disbelief of humanity's hope coming in a way none expected. Even Levi had stopped sipping his tea to look at him. They all shared one quality: They were looking at him as though he were about to turn into a Titan.

To say he had been uncomfortable would have been an understatement. The pause hammered home a critical fact that Eren had briefly put out of his mind: These people were going to kill him if he acted out of line. Hell, Levi would probably kill him for even fewer reasons. He couldn't look any of them in the eye.

Why did they have to look at him as though he was the enemy, as though he had all the answers for the Titans? It briefly made him wonder how they looked/thought of the Guyvers. How could they looked at him and think he was humanity's hope?

What did that make the Guyvers?

Then Levi had dryly quipped about Eren's impending doom at the hands of a certain 'you-know-who.'

Eren wasn't sure what had frightened him the most, the sudden humour Levi expressed or the implications.

Hanji Zoe's was, at the time, a breath of fresh air in a room that was stifling with unease. Unlike the others, Hanji Zoe didn't look at him with poorly hidden fear. She looked at him just like she would look at anyone else, if with a touch of keen interest. She approached him without fear and even reached out to touch him, the first bit of pleasant human contact he had since he had shaken Commander Erwin's hand after the trail.

The Squad Leader said she wanted his help and though slightly taken aback by her mannerisms and her rather off-putting intensity for 'discovery', Eren found himself curious. Mother had always told him to be polite to women, so Eren decided that he would hear what she had to say. And even then, if he had refused, she  _was_  a higher rank him. Best not to piss off his superiors.

Levi and his Squad promptly took a hasty retreat when the maroon-haired woman gleefully claimed that she had found a listener. Oluo had taken a moment to snark, "Remember that no means no, Hanji!", before Petra shoved him out the door.

Once alone, Eren was given the full picture of Hanji Zoe.

And to say she didn't baffle him would have been a lie as huge as the Colossal Titan.

She was, in a single word, strange. Hanji looked at Titans and didn't draw back in fear. Instead, she was drawn  _towards_  them. She spoke about her experiments with two Titans she had captured in Trost, who she had actually  _named_ , with delight and fondness. Eren had been more confused than disgusted, it was hard to find anger in someone who spoke so  _earnestly_  about what they enjoyed doing, ultimately asking Hanji how she could treat the monsters that had put them to the brink of extinction like hamsters.

Then Hanji told him how.

And when she did, Eren realized that there was an uncanny similarity between the two of them. She told him of how she lost people she loved, how she once fought the Titans out of pure hatred. Eren found himself sympathising. But then Hanji revealed how her perceptive changed: She learned that Titans weighted less than their mass would make one think. She then applied this to his ability to transform and suddenly he was breathless.

Hanji Zoe might be able to find the truth about his ability to transform.

Perhaps even on the origins of the Titans.

She told him that she believed that there was a firm difference between what they saw and what was the truth and that now it was time for a new viewpoint. One that was based on fear and contempt. She surprised him even more by telling him that maybe she was wasting her time, that maybe her work would all be for nothing. And her response to that?

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

And then Eren understood something.

No, that wasn't right. It was more like he  _remembered_  something.

Ever since had joined them, time at the Corps had been one surprise after another. The Guyvers being humans aside, the castle felt less like an HQ and more like a haven for crackpots. And yet, their eccentricities aside, they all desire the same thing: Change.

They all wanted to push humanity past it's faze of terror and into something new.

Eren remembered the reason  _why_  he wanted to join the Survey Corps.

And it was in that moment of realisation that Eren found himself wanting to know  _everything_. So eagerly, blood boiling in his veins, he asked Hanji Zoe for her to go into greater detail about her experiments. What the hell, sleep could wait. And besides, Hanji looked quite touched by his recommendation. Made him wonder if her attitude made her a bit of an outcast by her fellows. Yet another thing they had in common.

More and more, Eren found himself feeling a sort of kinship with the rather strange woman.

But as minutes turned into hours, Eren soon realised that strange was too small a word for Hanji Zoe.

He had thought that he'd learn something new, and while he did, Hanji spent quite a large portion of those hours going over stuff he had learned in basic training (or what Armin told him after). And she just would—

not—

_stop_.

Eren regretted not following the others example when he had the chance and was a little bit pissed off that they hadn't given him a heads up. Was this another thing rookies were meant to deal with? Either way, as it currently stood, he was quite sure that he was going to die from exhaustion. Anything Hanji asked him was met with a dazed, automatic response. He didn't really hear what she was asking, or saying, anymore.

Hanji didn't seem to notice. Hell, she was no worse for the wear from when she started. As if talking for long hours without end was a normal thing. Something told Eren that it probably was for her.

It was only the resounding crashing of the door opening that shot Eren back into awareness, whilst also making him nearly leap out of his skin. After a flurry of words left a panicked soldier that didn't reach his brain, Eren found his hand being grabbed in a vice grip by Hanji and was dragged outside the room. Only the look on Hanji's face, a look he had seen on his mother's face quite a bit four years ago, made Eren genuinely try to shake off his fatigue as he tried to keep up with her.

They arrived at the centre of the castle in no time, already swamped by soldiers, and Hanji released Eren who was greeted by Levi to shove her way through the others as she cried out in horror. But it was clear to any newcomer what had happened. The great streams to steam that rose in the air like silver fire was a clear giveaway.

Hanji's Titans, Sawney and Beane, were dead.

And then Hanji started screaming.

Eren felt a powerful mix of pure bafflement and gut-clenching pity. Hanji had fallen to her knees, clutching her head as though it were about in explode, and was wailing and  _wailing_  in what could only be conceived as pure agony. Even with the distance between them and the numerous people around them, Eren could see the tears streaming down her face as clear as day.

And the sun.

Damn, it was bright. He really wished Hanji would have allowed him to grab his cloak, its hood would have protected his sore eyes from the light. That, and to cover his night clothes. He felt oddly naked just standing around in them whilst everyone else was in uniform.

Looking over his left shoulder, he saw that Captain Levi's face was no different than it usually was saved for the slight grimace on his lips. Not for the first time, the boy wondered if the man's face was permanently fixed on that expression. He quickly looked away, lest the short man noticed him.

"This a soldier's work?" Eren perked at the sound of Gunther's voice, looking forward and spotting him and Eld near each other. He managed to hear them, over the mutterings of all the other soldiers present, even as Hanji continued to abuse her lungs.

"Yeah, but we haven't got any idea who's responsible," Eld responded, sounding peeved. "Apparently, they were both killed at the same time, before dawn. The guards said that whoever did this got away via 3DM Gear."

"Then the question remains whether or not this was premeditated with two or more people," Gunther concluded and their discussion ended there.

_"SAWNEY! BEANE!"_  Screeched Hanji, her agony seemingly without end.

"Ho boy, looks like someone's finally gone stark raving mad." The amused, condescending drawl of Oluo Bozado rang in Eren's ears and he turned in the direction of his voice just in time to see Petra elbow him  _hard_  in the side. "MAH RIBCAGE!"

"I know they were Titans, but you can't deny that they were important test subjects. Seriously, what kind of moron would waste an opportunity like this?" A male soldier grumbled.

"If they weren't morons, then why do  _this_  at all?" Another inquired.

_"That's pretty damn obvious,"_  Eren thought, feeling a flash of irritation at how anyone could not tell why someone would want to kill two Titans. Their scientific value aside, there was no telling how many people those two had killed during Trost. More than likely, some enraged fellow had killed them for revenge.

Eren flinched when Levi tabbed his arm with the back of his hand, bring him back to the world. "Let's go. This is a matter we leave to the Military Police." The Captain didn't wait for a response, he was already on the move. Eren wasn't sure if it was his sleep-deprived mind or not, but he was rather certain that he heard the man grumbled something about it being too early in the day for this kind of B.S.

For once, Eren found himself in agreement.

But just as he turned to leave, a familiar deep voice said his name. "Eren."

Not even the presence of Commander Erwin could completely shake away Eren's fatigue. He didn't salute him, not that Erwin or Levi commented on that. "Sir," The words left Eren without any actual thought. "What happened here?"

Erwin's response?

He clasped his hands on Eren's shoulders and move Eren so he was facing the dissolving remains of the Titans. He leaned in close, to the point where it was informal for a Commander to do so with a cadet, and uttered near Eren's ear in a sotto voice. "What is it you think you see? Who do you think the real enemy is here?"

Eren just looked at his Commander as though he had grown a second head.

When he said nothing, Erwin sighed and Eren was awake enough to hear what sounded like disappointment in the man's exhale. "Ignore me, loaded question." And with the baffling apology, he left with Levi in tow.

Eren watched them go, eyes wide and disbelieving, feeling the morning breeze flow over him as Hanji continued wailing behind him.  _"This is the place where I always wanted to be,"_  He looked back over his soldier. A man with dusty blonde hair, the same one who had reported to them that the Titans had been killed, was trying to calm Hanji down.  _Trying_  being the keyword.  _"These are the people I admired ever since I was small."_

If anyone had been paying attention to him, they would have seen the strained, crooked grin spread over Eren's lips before he buried his face into his hands. He had the very sudden and  _very_ disturbing urge to laugh out loud.  _"And they're all complete_ fucking _lunatics."_

* * *

Petra Ral made a habit of looking at each new day with a positive light.

She washed, got her uniform on, and told herself that today would be a good day.

And, more often than not, it worked.

The fact that they were currently stationed at the castle felt like a little holiday to Petra, a time to relax a bit and not constantly worry about whether or not she or someone she cared about was going to die the next day. And so far, having been tasked with the duty to keep an eye on Eren Yeager was not ruining any of her days.

Today, it seemed, was going to be a different day all together. She pointedly ignored the looks she felt being sent her way, at both her and her guest across the table.

"Both the test subjects were killed?"

"Yes," Petra said. "It was done by a soldier, that much is clear, but their reason for it is still up in the air."

Guyver Yin, or Joshua Martin as he was apparently called, said nothing as he took a large bite out of his red apple. The way he looked down at the table as chewed slowly, thoughtfully, told her that the gears in his head were rolling.

It came as quite the surprise to Petra when she had come across the young boy as she made her way to the dining hall after members of the Military Police arrived to assess the situation with Hanji's Titans. He had greeted her with a polite greeting that she returned and had made her laugh when he dryly told her of the whereabouts of his brother when she asked. "If you go back to our room, you'll find he's currently doing a rather  _spectacular_  imitation of a box of rocks." Once he stated that he was off to get some breakfast, Petra had offered to accompany him to which he accepted. She had led him to the pantry, where he had gotten two apples and she had gotten a bowl of warm soup, and they then made their way to the dining hall. As she had expected, the rest of her Squad (minus their Captain) was already there, tucking into their late breakfasts.

To say that the incident with Hanji's Titans hadn't messed up everyone's morning ritual would be a lie.

There was a small number of soldiers eating, the rest more than likely either getting some more sleep or getting to work with their daily tasks. They, as well as her Squad, all stopped what they were doing to stare at the young man beside her. Without a word or a visible acknowledgement of the people eyeing him like a piece of meat, Yin had moved away from Petra and sat at an empty bench table. The sight struck Petra with a sense of melancholy. Yin knew he was being watched, knew that his presence was making the others uncomfortable, and had simply chosen to seclude himself away from them.

No arrogance, no complaint, not a word. He simply did the thing that benefited everyone.

Then, flooded with sympathy, she walked over and sat opposite him.

There was no reason for Petra to do this, nor had she or (to her knowledge) any others of her squad gotten any orders from Captain Levi or Commander Erwin to keep an eye of the Guardians. The most they had gotten was a brief warning by Levi to be wary of them, that they were not to be taken lightly despite their appearances. Dear old Oluo had chosen to voice the shared thought that she knew they all been thinking: That went without saying.

Petra offered to keep him company because, Hero of legend or not, everybody could do with some company. She wondered briefly if he was ever without his older brother. People would talk and Oluo would make jokes till the cows come home. Well, she thought, let them.

They had made small talk, mainly consisting of her asking him how castle life was treating him. One thing led to another and eventually the question of why everyone was either late having breakfast or not present came up. Petra told him.

"Hanji."

"Pardon?"

He gave her an inquisitive look. "Where was Hanji during all this? I know she went to speak with Eren, but I expected her to-"

"Hanji was with Eren. All night. Explaining her work to him." Petra giggled at the look on the boy's face.

"...Is that why Eren looks like a dead man walking?"

"Hanji has an endless supply of energy." Something about that line made Petra feel  _old_. She summed it up to the fact that she was now more than familiar with the eccentric older woman.

"The problem with revenge..." He spoke so suddenly, yet so lowly, that Petra jumped slightly in her seat. "Is that it never evens the score. It ties both the injured and the injurer to an escalator of pain. Both are stuck on the escalator as long as parity is demanded, and the escalator never stops." He was looking to the side, eyes distant with some kind of recollection.

Petra blinked, taken aback by the rather profound words. When he noticed, Yin offered her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, that's a quote from someone back in my world. It rings true though, the fruitlessness of revenge."

"You think that's the reason this person killed the Titans?"

"It's the most likely reason, and the most logical."

Petra mulled over that, seeing the truth in the words. Yes, she realised, he was right. After Trost, who knew how many people were sickened at the idea that two of the monsters that had eaten their comrades were being kept alive. Petra understood that. She herself had felt needless hate for Titans that had killed the comrades, only to waddle off somewhere to kill another. Levi had stopped her from flying off into a mindless rage, and once they had returned to the Walls he had pulled her aside to tell her in his usually crass way: "Don't get your panties in a twist over mindless animals. The Titans have as much sense as a housebroken mutt. You can't make them stop shitting everywhere. You either deal with it or put them down."

Harsh? Yes. True? Undeniably. Brash? As ever.

They probably had wished that they could have done more, whoever had killed the Titans, make them suffer more. Petra took solace in the fact that they had been in Hanji Zoe's hands. A fate, Moblit Berner often bemoaned, worse than death.

But how did that explain Commander Erwin's questions?

"The Commander's been asking questions?"

Eyes snapped to the boy, Petra realised with a gut sinking sense of horror that she had unintentionally voiced the thought. He eyed her intensely, "What  _exactly_  did he ask you?" She didn't miss the slight emphasis on his words.

Petra Ral found herself at a crossroad. To tell the Guardian what the Commander had asked her would mean telling him something that might not have meant to be run past him. Erwin hadn't said anything against telling either Guyver. In fact, the Commander had barely made any fuss at all on them. Captain Levi's warning was all she had to go on. Spending this late breakfast had been, in its own way, her proper meeting with the White Guardian.

And her thoughts?

She found him to be a quiet, courteous young man that had treated her with no hint of haughtiness or contempt. He treated her equally, like a human being, regardless of the vast difference between them. Nothing at all like all the legends had bumped him up to be.

That did not mean that she had her guard down, that she did not watch him carefully. That her fingers subconsciously curled to reach for blades she didn't have on her person every time he did look at her.

But, as she thought it over logically and long termed, there was nothing he could gain from this information. So she told him. "He asked me 'Who do you think the enemy is?' I think he's been asking others this as well, but I wouldn't take my word for it."

He stared at her for a full moment, not blinking, before looking away with the slightest of grimaces as he took another bite from his apple. Petra watched, trying to discern any nameable emotions from his face. She found none. He finished his apple in mighty chomps, picked up the core of his first one, and stood up. He bowed, uttering. "Thank you for keeping me company, Miss Ral."

Petra flushed slightly. There was no need for him to do that, though she appreciated the gesture. "It's fine. And call me Petra, please. 'Miss' makes me sound old."

A brief look of surprise came over his face before it was smothered away, replaced by that blank expression that was neither normal or unnerving as he nodded. It fell somewhere in the middle, neutral. It almost reminded her of Captain Levi's face, really.

Speak of the devil, she then thought, for when the boy moved to the entrance he almost smacked into the aforementioned Captain.

The world seemed to go still as Humanity's Strongest Fighter and the White Guardian regarded each other silently. While Yin wasn't exactly towering in height, the Captain's unremarkable height gave him at an unfortunate disadvantage between the two as he looked up slightly to regard the boy. If she had to guess, Yin was a handful of inches taller. Both wore an expression that gave away nothing, though Levi's eyes did glitter with more than a hint of mistrust. Petra half rose from her seat, the others of her Squad following suit.

Should a fight break out, no matter how unlikely that would be, she and the others would be at the Captain's side instantly.

"I hope you made your own fucking bed," Captain Levi broke the silence, his low voice almost deafening in the silence that had enveloped the dining hall.

The voice in which Yin replied in returned was bright and full of life. "I'm afraid not, Captain. I left that to the maid. Also, if it's not a bother..." Petra gasped as, without warning, he took her Captain's left wrist in his right hand, turned the hand skywards and dumped the apple cores into his palm. Levi went very still. Petra heard Oluo make some kind of choking noise behind her. The boy released the frozen Captain's wrist, speaking in a voice that implied he was smiling, "Would you please take care of those for me too? I'm afraid I find myself in short of knowing where the nearest bin is. Thank you very much!" And with that joyous farewell, he walked around the Captain and left.

Levi's face, now clearly seen, was very vacant and very cold. He looked around the dining hall and said flatly, his voice carrying to the other end of the room, "What the fuck are you all gawking at?"

Everyone returned to their breakfast and Petra quickly closed her loose jaw. She felt a gut coiling sense of dread as the Captain strolled over to her now deserted table. Months of training under Instructor Shadis, as well as a hefty knowledge of how the short man acted when upset, strung into action and she quickly saluted him. "Captain Levi, Sir! Good morning!"

"At ease," Levi waved her salute aside and Petra felt relieved. Good, he wasn't mad at her. She met his intense stare easily after he placed the apple cores on the table. "Is there a particularly good reason you were sharing this table with that arrogant little shit stain?"

Petra flushed, eyes falling to the apple cores and then back to Levi's dull blue eyes, hating how her mind immediately made the comparison between Levi and a jealous lover. "I met with him after the incident with the test subjects, Sir. I was just keeping him company and bringing him up to speed. He and his brother slept through the whole thing, Sir."

Levi nodded, seemingly pleased with the answer, and then looked over to the boys. He gestured them over and Petra made space for Oluo as he took the space beside her. Levi remained standing, moving to the end of the table so he could face all of them. Petra idly noticed how no one commented on this. Of course. Any self-respecting member of the Survey Corps with a few years under their belt knew that, when Captain Levi was talking to someone who wasn't them, they'd best keep their heads down and be as small and as invisible as possible.

The Captain flung his cool gaze over them. "I know I've already burden you lot with keeping an eye on Yeager, to say nothing of what you'll have to do if worse comes to worse, but I want you to come to me immediately if any of you spot one of those two do anything...untoward. " The slight pause told them all the Captain needed to think of a good word to describe a situation that could warrant Levi's attention.

"I'll deal with them if it comes to that." None of them dared questioned how Levi planned to do that. The man had a great talent for surprising them, even after all this time.

They complied, of course, and once the Captain left (taking with cores with him, they all noticed) and Oluo started spouting his usual haughty nonsense in a Levi-like way that should have annoyed her, Petra became silent.

Being a soldier for humanity wasn't easy.

Anyone with eyes would be able to see how difficult it was for them to go and fight Titans, to see the haunted look on each of their faces as they returned with less than they had left with, to see them break and fall once they were alone. But the one thing they didn't know, could never understand, was all the difficult choices they had to make. Leaving behind comrade for the sake of a mission if they had been grasped by a Titan, even if there was a chance to save them. Choosing to abandon those who were MIA, even if they were someone dear to them who could appear when they least expected.

Petra Ral knew this all too well.

And Petra was now given a new set of difficult choices. Strike down three young men, one who was still just a child, for the sake of humanity or let them live and possibly condemning the human race for the sake of keeping her own soul clean. Snuff out three lives who, so far, seemed to want to do nothing but help humanity.

But because she is Petra Ral, member of Levi's Squad, she takes these orders without complaint.

Because she is Petra Ral, a soldier of humanity, the choice is no choice at all.

Because in the end, Petra Ral knows that no one can be a good soldier if they were unwilling to get their hands dirty. Captain Levi knew this, so did Commander Erwin. Anyone who is anyone should know that only those who strive can achieve what they want.

And because she is a loyal soldier who would follow the orders given to her in a heartbeat, because there is no choice between humanity's survival and destruction, because she would do anything for her Captain, Petra Ral swore on her honour that she will do all that she can when the moment arrives.

* * *

Erwin Smith was, with no hint of arrogance, very good at hiding what he was feeling.

He had learned early on in life that, if he were to express what he was feeling, others would find ways to pick at him and break him down.

As such, he hid his utter boredom very well under a mask of well-crafted professionalism.

Captain Rockbell of the Military Police struck him no differently than most others as he went over what he and his small number of men had found in their (and he used this word lightly) investigation. With his shaggy red beard, the bags under his eyes and the hard to miss stench of alcohol and smoke, he looked like a man who would want to be anywhere but here. He would, in Erwin opinion, look right at home in some prostitutes arms in some dirty bar. A perfect example of a member of the Military Police.

The laziness of the Military Police was the ultimate enemy of the Survey Corps. Why risk one's life when they could scurry away to the safety of the interior?

In his petty moments, Erwin wishes he had the power to disband and destroy them. They were cowardly wastes of space, every last one of them, utterly unworthy of their ranks. But then those moments pass and any feelings towards them are locked away behind the mask.

There's no point fighting a lost cause, he would tell himself.

A knock at the door stopped Rockbell and both men turned their eyes to the entrance of his office. "Enter."

The door opened and Erwin honestly wanted to laugh. Divine intervention. There was no other word for it as Guyver Yin walked in without preamble until he was before Erwin's desk. Rockbell, who had originally been occupying the space Yin now took residence over, stood to the side. It was rather humorous that an older man could look down at a younger one with such wide-eyed fear.

"We need to talk." The boy said- No,  _declared_. He spared Rockbell a glace, who flinched, and then looked back to Erwin. "Alone." There was an air of authority about him, something Erwin and Mike had only seen a glimpse of the previous day when the matter of Eren Yeager had come up. Erwin looked the boy over, taking in the stillness of his firm stance. He was dressed in his white, long-sleeved shirt and black trousers whilst forgoing the black suit and tie. It made him look younger, though did not retract the noticeable wryness that clung to his countenance.

He wasn't going to take no for an answer.

How  _interesting_.

Erwin turned his blue eyes to Captain Rockbell. "I'll leave the matter in yours and the Military Police's hands, Captain." With a hasty salute and affirmative, Erwin watched as the red-haired man beat a hasty retreat out the door. Once he was gone, Erwin quickly explained the man's presence. "That man was part of the Military Police. He's going to hold an investigation of the recruits, to see if they can find the-"

"Spy."

The word was like a boulder, smashing through Erwin's words and his mind went white. When he could only stare at the boy, genuinely stunned to silence, Yin continued. "The one who killed Hanji's Titans is someone who knows about Eren and his ability to shift into a Titan. Commander Pixis made this knowledge know back in Trost, so it has to be someone who was there at that time, but the deaths of the Titans implies a deeper level of understanding. This person  _knows_  the truth about the Titans. They more than likely what Eren because of his ability to shift and it's not unreasonable to assume that this person is like Eren, more than likely the Armored and Colossal Titans from five years ago."

As Erwin stared wide-eyed at the boy for a long moment, much like a student would after a teacher's lengthy lecture, he idly wondered if anyone had ever given him as many moment's pauses as the White Guardian had. Hanji would definitely be a close second. He smiled, feeling quite pleased. "You've been very well trained."

"I told you not to underestimate me, Commander. I had the truth about the Armored and Colossal figured out back in Trost, it was obvious once you saw Eren. But that's not the issue here. I'm more curious as to why you're keeping this information to yourself."

Erwin felt a frisson of disappointment. The boy had deduced the situation, understood the enemy and possible suspects but didn't seem to understand the magnitude such information possessed. He decided to tell him. "If I tell all of the Survey Corps this, doubt and suspicion would run rampant through the ranks. Comrade would turn on comrade and there'll be mass panic. And if this spy is indeed one of our own, then they'll be able to think of a counter attack. Taking this into consideration, I've asked people the question. Those who answer rightly, I tell them the truth."

"And has anyone deduced your questions?"

"Yes. Hanji, Levi & Mike. Those who weren't able to answer correctly, like Eren and Levi's Squad members, tell me that they are free from suspicion."

Yin was silent for a moment, eyes falling to the space between them, and Erwin took that moment to observe his face. The fair skin and emotional brown eyes, swimming with countless thoughts that Erwin couldn't begin to fathom. Then, suddenly, understanding flared in his eyes. "This is why you don't want me and Estevan to fix the gate in Trost," He breathed, hushed, and it was difficult for Erwin to pinpoint the emotions in his voice. He looked up to meet Erwin's eyes and the Commander saw the horrified realization on the boy's face clearly. "This is why you're conducting an expedition only a month after Trost. It's not an expedition at all, it's a  _trap!_  You're making a trap for the spy!"

Oh, he was smart, wasn't he? It broke Erwin's heart that the young man before him was already a hero, for if he were a new recruit, he had little doubt that he would turn out to be one of his best soldiers. Oh well, one could dream. He kept his smile from growing. "You're very perceptive, Yin. Yes, you have it. The only way for us to obtain this spy is to lure them out into a wide, open area. Using the path from Trost is too straight, too simple. We would be hard-pressed to form a trap on that path. I'm still working on the details, but I know for a fact that if we use the land between the Karanes District and Shinganshina, we can successfully capture this traitor."

That was nothing but the truth. Erwin knew very well that the path from Trost, while indeed the most direct route to Shinganshina, offered little cover save the odd village and even they were far and between. The area from the Karanes District southwards would, for the most part, be unused land. It was safe to assume that the spy would be unfamiliar with the area. It would serve his purposes perfectly.

"And, even if we're  _right_  about this spy, assuming this little  _plan_  of yours works, how many people do you imagine will  _die?!"_  Yin yelled the last word and Erwin could only stare at the expression on his face, smile gone. It was the same look he had seen on hundreds of his men after an expedition. It was the same look even the most hardened of veterans could have upon their faces.

It was the same expression Erwin had briefly caught a glimpse of when he had mentioned the average rate of deaths to Yin yesterday.

The horrified, haunted look of a person who could fathom the loss of people, not after seeing it so many times before.

And it was then that Erwin Smith realised that he had been wrong. Standing before him was not Guyver Yin, the White Guardian, stoic and unflappable. Standing before him was Joshua Martin, young and so very human.

"This is incredibly dangerous." Joshua rasped and Erwin knew that he was trying to stress to him the sheer gravity of his plan. "One wrong move, the  _slightest_  deviation or miscalculation, and hundreds of people could  _die!_  Far more than your thirty percent average." Those last words were spat heavily and the young man sounded sickened to speak them.

And Erwin kept his face blank, unreadable in the face of the hero's horror. "I'm well aware of that."

"Then why-?!"

"I think you are forgetting that we don't have the luxuries of your world or the abilities that you and your brother have," Erwin said his words slowly, carefully. While this Guardian was not as quick to anger as his brother appeared to be, he was quite certain that his disgust would flare into anger. How did the saying go? Beware the nice ones? "You two may have had ways to do things better in your world, ways that would result in fewer deaths, but here we can't take that easy route. My men are aware of this, they have dedicated their hearts and souls to humanity's future, and as such, they will give their lives if they have to."

At the look on the boy's face, he decided to add softly. "I know this is horrible and despite what you and your brother might think of me, I do hate sacrificing the lives of my comrades. But I have an oath to follow as well and you can be assured that, for the sake of humanity, I will uphold that oath until the bitter end."

Erwin Smith was many things. Liar, manipulator, Commander. But right then, right there, he spoke his words from his very soul.

Judging by the look on Joshua's face, he believed him. He looked utterly haggard beyond his years and seemed to deflate with the large sigh that left him, bowing his head and reaching his hands up to rub his face tiredly. "I won't stop you," He eventually said, flatly, not removing his hand or raising his head. His hands were covering his eyes as though he were weeping. "Despite how much I want to, and how much my brother  _will_  want to, we can't-do anything to change your mind. It's not our place, and besides, it's not as though we would think of anything better.

"But let me tell you this..." Joshua Martin straightened and removed his hands. He met Erwin's gaze squarely and the man was startled to discover that he couldn't read the boy. His face was a blank canvas, giving nothing despite his earlier outburst. Erwin looked at the boy and realized that this wasn't Joshua Martin, this was Guyver Yin. This was his composer on full force. His mask. The voice that he spoke in was ominously low. "This is one  _hell_  of a gamble you're playing, and you can be certain that me and my brother will save the lives  _you're_  so willing to sacrifice."

And again, just like all the other times the hero as spoken sternly to Erwin, there was no discernible threat in his words. Not that there was any need for one, really. He knew that he could never understand the level of the Guyvers power, but he was more than certain that they could make his death as simple or as agonizing as they wished for it to be.

In the end, that was how one determined the threat of an enemy. It was by how much they could make one suffer.

Erwin nodded. "I would expect nothing less of you two."

Joshua's grimace was deep, disgust radiating from his still form as he turned and left. With a sharp wave of his hand, the door opened for him. And while Erwin had to know something, just one more thing, he felt it didn't really need asking. Speaking with Guyver Yin and Joshua Martin had told him enough.

The door slammed shut.

* * *

Estevan Martinez was fuming.

Or was seething a better word? Did it even matter?

No, it didn't.

He was pissed and that was that.

Dress within his dark top and jeans, uncaring for the minor tears and rips in them, he leaned against the wall of the outermost part of the castle as the midday breeze washed over him. His maroon eyes were closed and his arms were crossed, hiding his feelings from anyone who happened to find him. God, he hoped no one did. He just wanted to be alone for a while, was that too much to ask?

Would the universe deprive him of even that?

Scowling deeply, Estevan tried to put a lid on his temper. Keyword being  _tried_. Ever since he had known the Brit, Josh had always amazed Estevan with his seemingly endless patience. He could take being spat in the face and being mocked without a hint of annoyance, often waiting to drop some dry quip or shewed insult that would have the American in stitches. Granted, he had mellowed out considerably since they had met, but it was a nearly universal fact that Josh was better at keeping himself contained. Hence the reason he didn't mind letting Josh take the lead during their trial.

Estevan wasn't like that and was glad not to be.

Whenever he got angry, he allowed himself to be controlled by it. He had enough sense to know who the anger was for, but feeling the rage scorching him was cathartic in its own right. He honestly couldn't imagine being like Josh, containing all his rage and pain until it became unbearable. It was unhealthy, dangerous even, but Estevan wasn't about to change Josh.

He had long since accepted that if that was how the Brit dealt with his shit, then fine. Estevan would deal with it in his own way. And as such, the urge to go out and rip some Titans apart was really tempting, so was the urge to start a fight with that runt Levi and put him in his place.

He had been quite happily resting in his bed, finally enjoying the comforts of a long rest, only for his door to be slammed opened by his brother. Once he noticed the troubled look on Josh's face all thought of sleep was quickly forgotten.

Then Josh told him what had happened, his meeting with Commander Erwin, and Estevan went from concerned to furious in the beat of a heart.

_"I'm gonna kill him."_  He remembered getting up, body becoming taut as rage crawled up the back his throat like fire. The, suddenly thinking about appealing using his Hyper Napalm attack sounded.

_"Estevan, wait-"_  Josh had held up his hands, expression pleading.

It had little effect. "Fuck  _waiting! That bastard, that cold heart son of a-!"_

_"I said wait!"_  Just as he was about the step back Josh, the Brit moved in a blur of motion before grabbing him and throwing him back. He had flown across the room before colliding with the wardrobe and landing roughly on the ground. It was a miracle that it hadn't broken.

Right, that had pissed him off.

His expression darkening, Estevan recalled how Josh had pushed against his anger, firmly explaining to Estevan how killing the bastard Commander would be a clusterfuck for everyone. He hadn't cared, at all, and a strained Joshua had demanded to know what Estevan expected to do once that was done. Pointedly, he asked if Estevan was going to become the leader of the Survey Corps himself.

He asked if he wanted to become a soldier.

Disgust and shock had hit him so strongly that he had been rendered mute. In his silence, Josh apologized and painstakingly explained that they needed the support of the Survey Corps and that Erwin's plan, however daring it was, was the best they were going to get. He claimed that they wouldn't have been able to think of any better, shutting down Estevan's protest that they could.

Josh told him, clearly, that they wouldn't be able to find the spy without Erwin. And, with a dawning sense of horror and revulsion, he realized how true those words were.

He still couldn't believe it. Not only did Estevan had to deal with man-eating monsters and soldiers, but now he had to deal with some kind of spy. A spy who was probably within their sights and they had no way of knowing. For all the power the Guyvers granted them, they weren't detectives.

The discussion had ended there, more or less, with Estevan throwing on his clothes and making his way for some late breakfast. Josh hadn't followed him. The little fool was probably making both their beds. The twit.

Sighing, Estevan rubbed a hand over his face. "Damn it, Josh," He muttered, his sullen eyes peering through his fingers as he gazed at the sky above. It was a clear and sunny day, with a touch of clouds impeding the sunlight's journey. "How could you allow that maniac to do this?"

Erwin Smith was insane.

There wasn't a smidgen of doubt in Estevan's mind for this fact, because no one in their right mind would do something that could lead to the death of hundreds of people. Well, no one human, anyway.

Even if it was for something as grandiose as the ultimate survival of humanity, how could it be worth such meaningless death and destruction?

_"I wouldn't do that,"_  He thought ferociously, a determined expression crossing his face.  _"I would do the task myself, without putting anyone at risk. I'd-"_

His thoughts came to an abrupt end when his sharp hearing caught the sound of someone crying, somewhere to his left.

It wasn't a male, removing the possibility of it being either Josh or Eren, but a woman's voice. Curiosity catching him in a firm grip, he followed his ears to the source. He didn't have to go far, ultimately turning a corner of the castle's perimeter and peeking over to finding none other than Hanji Zoe.

She was crying.

The mere sight of this caught him off guard. So far, the woman had seemed like an unstoppable ball of energy. And yet, here she was, sitting on the grass with her knees tucked into her chest like some child in the shadow of the castle. Estevan grimaced, caught at a crossroad. Typically, he wouldn't bat an eye to a person's suffering. He'd let them deal with it on their own, not really caring if it had any long-lasting effect. If they were someone he cared about, like Josh, he would try his best to make them feel better. Let it never be said that he was good with people, but for his friends, he would always try.

But Hanji Zoe was a soldier. And Estevan hated soldiers. But she was also crying and someone so cheerful had no right being so sad. There wasn't anyone around to comfort her. And Hanji, for all her weirdness, had so far been nothing but nice to him and Josh-

_"God-fucking-damn it, I am going soft!"_  He blamed Josh. To the moon and back, he blamed his brother for this.

"Oi," He said, for a lack of anything better. He walked over the corner and walked over to the woman.

Hanji looked up at him, face wet with tears. His heart twinged before he smothered the feeling. "Oh, hey Yang."

He really needed to explain to her that, when outside his armour, he preferred to be called by his real name. He decided to run it by her later if given the chance. "What's up with you?"

It was then that Estevan remembered an important lesson about women, especially the emotional/overacting ones: Never, no matter what, ask them what's made them upset. Hanji proved his point spectacularly as she suddenly screamed like a cat in heat, looking like a woman in incredible pain, the proof of her tear ducts working overtime streaming down her face.  _"SAWNEY! BEANE!"_

"What the fuck?!" Estevan exclaimed, jumping back at her outburst. Right, her test toys had been killed by this spy. He felt no sympathy for the dead Titans, part of him wishing he had done the deed himself, but Christ, did she have to make a scene about it? He watched in morbid fascination as she buried her face in her knees, sobbing as though she had just lost a baby.

He continued to watch her, torn. Part of Estevan was rather disturbed and wanted nothing more than to turn the other way and leave the nutbag alone. He was  _very_  tempted to. But still, that part of him persisted, that part that Josh more often than not brought out him. Hell, it wasn't even that, really. Estevan's honest urge to help people when their down was raging strong against his cynicism.

Then, a part of himself that he tried to keep buried away, reminded him how much he hated seeing a woman cry.

"Shit," He cursed, running a hand through his hair. He thought hard about what to do. He wasn't about to degrade himself into comforting her physically, that shit was Josh's department. Then he remembered something. Hanji wanted to know more about him and Josh's abilities, about the Guyver in general. While he had no intention of telling her how to make new weapons, he had no problem showing off his abilities to her. After all, it wasn't like she could mimic bio attacks. Perhaps if he took her to a remote area he could put to rest her inquisitive mind and make her feel better.

But there was also something in the back of his head telling him that he was literally signing his own death warrant and that she was probably going to find a way to strap him down to a table and dissect him like a frog. But then another part of him, which sounded suspiciously a lot like Joshua Martin, told him to stop being a pussy and stop her from crying her eyes out.

He was going to kick Josh's ass for this.

Willing himself back near her, he tapped her trembling shoulder. "Hey, wanna see how my Guyver works?" Almost immediately Hanji stopped crying as she raised her head to met his eyes. With her teary face, she looked like a dejected kitten. Oh, now that just wasn't  _fair_. "I have nothing better to do with my time and Josh is probably neck deep in a book right now, so how about it? Would you...like to see my Guyver's abilities?" He had to  _slightly_  force out the words, but it seemed to go unnoticed.

Hanji's was suddenly on her feet, her hands clasping his own and shoving her still wet face into his. Estevan drew back in revulsion. Her eyes were  _sparkling_. Probably because of the tears, he surmised. "Really?" Hanji squealed, sounding overjoyed.

"Yes..." Estevan really should have walked in the opposite direction.

"Thank you!" Hanji screeched, so loudly it nearly left him deaf before she released him, bouncing in ecstasy. "AH, this is it!  _MY DREAM HAS COME TRUE!_  I finally get to know what makes you tick!" Quickly scrubbing her face free of tears and snot, she promptly grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him along. Estevan could only gape, trying hard  _not_  to figure out what that wetness on her palm was. "C'mon, I know a great area where you can go all out! I've read  _all_  the reports from Shinganshina, those that weren't made up by people who  _weren't_  there at the time, and I can't wait to see your powers in the flesh!"

Sighing as she went on, Estevan could only lament how this was all Josh's fault.

* * *

Joshua Martin suddenly sneezed before looking around in confusion, wondering who was talking about him.

* * *

Eren smothered yet another huge yawn into a fist, head turned away from the window he was cleaning to avoid his breath fogging up the glass. He was fairly certain that it was already clean, his currently foggy memory telling him that soldiers had been in this hallway on the second level of the castle yesterday, but he dared not voice this to Captain Levi.

His eyes closed as he sighed and they remained closed, enjoying the comfort the dark gave him. He must have looked quite the sight, with the dirty rag dangling in his right hand. Once he had composed himself after his realization on his current predicament and misfortunes, Eren had been called by the Military Police members who questioned him about his whereabouts during the previous night. He had answered truthfully, if a bit tensely, pointing to the still sobbing Hanji for confirmation. After nearly half an hour of back and forth talk, he had been allowed to leave. Immediately after, just as he had been hoping to go to his room and sleep for a few hours, he had been swept away by Captain Levi into cleaning.

To say that hadn't pissed him off would be a lie.

A dull pain shot through Eren's forehead and his eyes snapped open, head jerking back. He had fallen asleep, just for a moment, and his body had slumped forward to meet the window. His hazy eyes noticed the small smudge that now marred the glass. Blushing furiously and quickly making sure that his Captain wasn't around to see it, Eren quickly wiped it away.

He was certain that Jean and Connie would find him falling asleep whilst cleaning funny, and if the roles were reversed he probably would too, but he knew with a chilling sense of certainty that Levi would be less than pleased. He'd probably shove a broom up his ass, then make him clean it. Eren shuddered at the thought, the window squeaking as he continued to rub it with the rag.

He willed himself to think of something else.

Rather unsurprisingly, his thoughts drifted to the Guyvers.

Since they had arrived at the castle, Eren had hardly seen either brother. Neither of the two had come anywhere near him or Levi's Squad, seemingly wanting to keep as much distance between them as possible. Rumor had it that Yin had been in Commander Erwin's office twice, but for what reasons were unknown. He had listened to the hushed whispering of other soldiers, mostly comprised of jealousy and contempt. What right, they said, had the Guyvers earned to speak in private with their Commander? How could they be allowed to be around the Survey Corps, showing them up with their incredible powers, more or less making them all redundant? And how, they spat with scorn, great could they possibly be if they were just two young men?

Every dour word made anger hit Eren like white-hot arrows, making his fists clench and his teeth bared. It took all his willpower not to turn and attack them. He could take the sour looks and hushed whispers about him, he expected and deserved them, but to speak so lowly of his heroes was unacceptable! After everything they had done, all the people they had saved, they had earned every right to a lot of things.

And yet—

Despite working together so closely during Trost, not to mention them standing up for him before that Garrison Captain, Eren still found it hard to downright impossible to connect with them.

Eren had always seen the Guyver as above everyone, including himself. He knew that getting close to them would not simply happen overnight. The distance between them and humanity was like a large bridge. The Guyvers were on one side and humanity, including himself, were on the other. The bridge was full of faults and dangers, the slightest wrong move would result in the trekker either dying or becoming lost. Eren always felt as though he had a clear path, regardless of how limited his interactions with the brothers had been, yet had enough sense to wait until he crossed that bridge.

But now, with the knowledge that the Guyvers were, in fact, human, the bridge suddenly wasn't so daunting. It was smaller and easier to cross, and the two were so close to Eren that he would reach out and touch them. He could, he knew, and yet he still dared not cross the bridge.

Even without the impassive faces of the Guyvers, both brothers seems so controlled and so professional that Eren felt like he was supposed to be on his best behaviour when they were present. He found himself glancing over corners of hallways and looking over his shoulders, suddenly fearing that the two would appear and notice him doing something incredibly stupid. Any time he had found them, spying them behind a corner, he would run in the opposite direction. It felt like there was nothing he could do that wouldn't make him look like a jackass in front of them, except avoid them and make himself as invisible as possible. He still found himself incapable of finding something to speak to them about.

It annoyed Eren to no end that the two made him feel so diffident, made him so unsure and uneasy of himself that he wanted to punch something.

But honestly, that wasn't the problem. The fact that the Guyvers were human should have made things so much easier for Eren. Suddenly, they weren't so impossible to get close to. Suddenly, he could approach them without flinching under their blood red gaze. Suddenly, talking to them casually didn't seem like such a pipe dream.

He just felt that there was something missing between them, some warmth or affection that should be there but wasn't.

Again, Eren knew that he and the Guyvers wouldn't just click together. Their interactions had been brief and always in the middle of danger, there had been no time for them to just stop and chat. However, it was exactly these interactions that gave Eren a moments pause. Suddenly, he wondered if he had been completely wrong about his supposed friendship with the brothers.

The squeaks of the window became deeper, harsher.

He put himself in their position, trying to see those moments through their eyes:

He's a well-experienced warrior who's fought many battles, saved many lives, who has been transported to a world that is not his own. Then, with barely any time at all to understand this world, it goes to hell. Panic and chaos rampant in the streets, the first thing to do is to assess the situation and help people. Then he finds a family being torn apart, a mother facing an imminent death as her children watch on in horror. There is no choice, no second-guessing, he has to save her. He does, and the children. He looks after the children because he must. Because the children's world is crumbling around them and they need anchors to stop them from going adrift. He makes sure that they are safe. And then, and only then, can he be allowed to save the world and everyone else.

But there's no point in going back to them. Because they are small, because they have their own lives to lead, and because they're nothing special in the end. Just another faceless person that he's saved.

His hand stopped moving the rug, now still. Subconsciously, he pushed his hand against the window.

Perhaps that was the reason for it. The brothers had saved him, Mikasa and his mother and that were all it was to them. They didn't feel any obligation to get close to them because that act had been no different to how they would treat anyone else in the same situation. They probably just saw Eren as a person they had saved and fate or whatever had simply brought them back together. Nothing more, nothing less.

Or maybe, he suddenly thought, the problem was  _him_.

"Damn it." A frown cut deeply into Eren's face, his hand pressing firmly against the window while the other clenched into a trembling fist.

The thought was like a blacksmith's hammer to the gut, sending waves of gut-wrenching anxiety through him. The thought was sudden, a purely flippant idea, but it resonated with such truth it made him sick. God, it was him, wasn't it?

"Damn it." Teeth pressed firmly together, lips peeling away, he pushed harder against the window.

He's always known that he's trouble, been told it enough by just about everyone he knew. Mother always bemoaned of his attitude before the Fall. Hannes always thought of him as a runt with a chip on his shoulder who he never took seriously. Half of the 104th Training Corps couldn't stand him. Even Armin and Mikasa, who both knew him better than anyone else, could probably make books full of his character flaws. The latter, more often than not, called him out on these flaws regularly.

Maybe he was just too much for the Guyvers to befriend. He's hot-tempered, antagonistic, insecure. Hadn't his father once told him that he often looked for the worse in people, as if he were looking for conflict? This, he supposed, was what it meant for him to try and be good with people who had no bad in them, who he really didn't know.

They probably just didn't like him.

He shouldn't care but he did.

And the mere idea that they  _didn't like him_  broke his heart.

"DAMN IT!" In a flash of white-hot anger, that familiar loathing scorching him deeply to his core, Eren drew back his palm and thrust it against the window. It went right through it, making a hole with jagged teeth. He cursed again when one of those teeth sunk into his wrist, cutting deeply. Blood leapt from his wrist and onto the window, ruining it as the crimson fluid crawled down it. Blind on rage and pain, Eren rubbed the rag over the blood and only succeeded in creating a large smudge. With another vehement curse, he threw it down and clasped his left hand to his right wrist, staring hatefully at the mess he had made.

Then the blood coating his hands went warm, boiling in fact, and morbid fascination took Eren as he watched the steam rise from his wrist under his hand. Remove it and receiving a face-full of steam, he watched the cut seal close. There wasn't even a scar. Disgust coiling in his chest, Eren picked up the ruined rag and left to get a bucket of water. He prayed that he wouldn't run into Levi or any of his Squad members, painfully away of how bloody his hands and uniform were. Head hung low like a scolded child, he found himself drifted back onto his head.

He found himself thinking of the world the Guyvers had come from, the world that didn't have Titans, the world that was apparently far more advanced than their own. He thought of the lives the two might of had, of the things they must have battled with the Guyvers. He thought of the people they must have known, the friends they must have had. Those people must have been like him, in a way, awed by the brothers' power but having the commitment and strength to follow them. They probably proved themselves to the brothers, gaining their respect the way a person would. Those people must have been better, Eren thought, than both himself and this world's wretched humans. They must have been everything Eren wasn't and maybe that was why they and the brothers worked when Eren didn't.

Those people probably would never be in the position he was in, an incompetent child burdened with the responsibility of humanity's survival.

Then Eren ran into someone and nearly fell flat on his ass.

"Hey, watch-!" The miffed words of the other came to an abrupt stop and Eren looked up to see them. It was a small trio of male soldiers, each looking at Eren with the same look of surprise on their faces. The one he had bumped into was a dirty blonde, the one on his left was a sandy brown and the one on his right was a darker brown. They were all older than him, had him beat on height and seemed to all be of similar ages.

The lead blonde's countenance, one of naked shock, morphed into murderous hate. " _You_."

Eren didn't see the fist fly out before it contacted with his cheek, snapping his head to the side and almost sending him to the ground. The sandy brown then grabbed him by the hair in a tight hold, yanking. Eren's cry of pain was muffled by the sound of the man's left fist hitting him in the face. He let go of Eren's hair for the second hook, sending Eren stumbling back. The other brown was then on him, taking handfuls of his uniform and throwing him to the wall between some windows. He then grabbed him again and spun, releasing Eren once they went 180 degrees and the boy's back slammed into the opposite wall before he slid down it.

Panting, face burning, Eren sent the trio a furious glower. They stood a short distance away in a small half circle, giving him their own looks of hate. Eren felt fluid run out his nose and could taste blood on his lips, the coppery life-fluid igniting his taste buds and senses. With a yell, Eren charged. His left fist flew through the air, aiming for the blonde but missing as he manoeuvred out of the way. The man shot his own hard left jab into Eren's face, bursting his lips. Momentarily blinded by the pain, Eren offered no defence as the dark brown soldier shot a middle kick into his stomach. Eren fell to the ground, legs turned to jelly, wheezing.

Spitting out a mouthful of boiling blood, Eren tried to push himself back up. A hand grasped the back of his uniform and he was hauled to his feet, once again slammed back into the wall. The blonde took two handfuls of the front of his uniform, hoisting Eren off the ground slightly so that they were almost eye to eye. The other two were close by his side, each by a shoulder. The sandy brown had a look of repulsed fascination on his face. "Look at his lips..."

Eren could feel the flesh healing, burning in an ethereal way that was neither painful or pleasant.

"So it's true, you can heal. Just like a Titan." The dark brown said, disgusted.

Eren bared his blood-stained teeth, glaring defiantly at the trio. Idly, he was aware that he was standing on his tiptoes. "What the hell are you doing?" He hissed, refusing to scream the words. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

The blonde gave him a look of fury, his voice remarkably light. "Our friends died, fighting  _your kind_  outside the Walls, whilst you were busy playing hero with the Guardians. They died screaming, alone, all their dream robbed from them. Because of  _your kind_."

The words hit Eren like a fist, knocking the wind from him. He stared at them in mute horror. "I-I'm not-"

"We were all part of the same training group, all of us." The blonde continued as if Eren hadn't said anything. "We didn't even have time to mourn or collect their bodies when we heard the news about Trost. And what do we learn when we get there? That a Titan had allied itself with the Guardians, protecting the people." He barked a mirthless laugh, his glare sharpening. "And then? This  _Titan_  is made a member of the Survey Corps, of  _Captain Levi's Squad_ , overnight. You've gotten to a position most of us here have bled and broken bones for, spent years training for!"

"I trained too!" Eren yelled, unable to contain himself, relishing the way the three of them drew back slightly. Vicious, scathing anger had filled his entire being and was demanding release. "Three years, to become a soldier!"

"YOU DIDN'T EARN IT!" The blonde roared, voice laced with poison and furious indignation. "We worked our way up the ranks, losing the people we cared about in the process! You got here because, and  _only because_  you can turn into a Titan! Have you ever actually seen a Titan as a human? Felt their breath as they try to devour you? Watch your friends get  _eaten_  and  _listen_  to their screams when there was  _nothing_  you can do to save them?!"

I have, Eren wanted to  _scream_  but couldn't get the words past the rock in his throat. Because his memories of Trost were vague and hard to remember, his time before turning into a Titan and after like dream that he could barely recall. His time in his Titan form was like holes in his memories, with only the words of his friends and others to fill in the gaps. After Pixis had saved them, Armin had been the one to tell Eren what happened to their small squad. Save himself and Mina, and there was no need for the blonde to remind him of what happened to Thomas, Nac and Mylius had all died shortly after he had been bitten.

Each name had taken a bit of Eren's heart as they fell from Armin's lips.

"I don't know what the Commander was thinking, taking a  _thing_  like you into our ranks, but I'm not about to question his orders. However," The blonde released the boy and then thrust his knee into his stomach. Eren gagged, the wind knocked right out of him, and the blonde drove his left fist hard into his face. Eren fell gracelessly to the ground, feeling the eyes of the men on his pain riddled form. "That doesn't mean we have to accept  _this_. We know the Captain will probably punish us for it, but fuck it. Our friend's deaths will  _not_  go unpun-"

"HEY!" The word was like a knife, cutting through the air and the pain that swarmed Eren's mind. The voice, he recognized it. And when he forced himself up onto his hands like some poor push up, tongue stained with blood, Eren felt a mixed wave of elation and dread roll over him.

Guyver Yin, dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and black trousers, was walking towards them. No, walking implied he was calm. His face, Eren noted with surprise, showed that he clearly wasn't. Eyes blown wide, teeth barred, left hand pointing at the trio, the young man was a picture of anger as he stomped over to them. "Leave him alone!" He barked, words bouncing off the walls of the otherwise empty hallway.

Eren glancing up at the men, hoping to see them go pale and run like hell, like those bullies back in Shinganshina did whenever they saw him. But they didn't. If anything, the look of hate on the blonde's face grew darker. His voice still retained that remarkable lightness as he addressed his friends. "Well, lady luck seems to be shining on us, guys. First the freak, and now the White Guardian graces us with his presence."

Yin came to a stop a few feet away, anger leaking away into a glacial expression. "Don't call Eren a freak," He uttered, voice so soft that Eren almost missed the words. It took him a moment to register exactly what he had said.

The blonde laughed again, this time full of scorn. "Oh, how  _sweet_. The White God is taking  _pity_  on the Titan." He then scowled as though he had eaten something incredibly bitter. "Leave, will you? This has  _nothing_  to do with you."

"In any other circumstance, you might have been right." Yin's voice took a casual, aloof edge, hands linking behind his back. "However, as far as I can see, you're hurting Eren for no apparent reason. I'm afraid I cannot let that continue for even a second longer."

"No reason, you say? Our friends died fighting the Titans outside the Walls, hundreds like them suffered the same fate! It's an insult to their memory that this  _freak_  is in  _our_  uniform!" The emphasis on the words, on the insult that stung Eren in a way he so desperately wanted to ignore, wasn't missed on the boy and he watched Yin's expression carefully.

Nothing, not even a flicker. Then, "Pathetic."

"... _What_  did you say?"

"Pathetic," Yin repeated emotionlessly. "What makes your friends more important than all the other people who've died in these past one hundred years, in these last five years? What makes them their deaths worthy justification for beating an innocent boy?"

" _Innocent?!_ " Hissed the blonde, expression murderous. He looked like he was barely holding his composure together. His friends looked just as angry. "This brat is one of  _them_ , he's-"

"Not a Titan," The space between Yin's brows creased ever so slightly. "You're truly pathetic if you're blaming Eren for what happened to your comrades, especially given that you're a soldier. You should be aware that death on the battlefield is expected, as I'm sure they knew as well. If you aren't ready to accept that, then you shouldn't of become a soldier."

"How dare-!"

"Furthermore, you should be  _thanking_  Eren for all that he's done for you. Were it not for his efforts, not only would Trost remain lost, but all of the lands of Wall Rose would be overrunning with Titans. So, in short, he's  _more_  than worthy of the uniform. He's a hero, which is more than what I can say for  _you_."

The blonde was silent, face a picture of furious outrage that was mirrored by his two companions. Eren stared at the Guardian, stunned to silence. Of all the things he expected to hear from him, what had been spoken were the last thing. His eyes went back to the blonde and he saw that his fury had doused into something colder but no less threating. His eyes promised retribution. "You know," He began in a low monotone. To Eren's surprise, he moved forward, his friends following "So many people have different opinions on you and your brother. Some call you Gods, like that Cult, others call you demons. The best thing and the worst thing to ever happen to humanity. Personally? I never much cared for the legends. But many of my friends, including those whose deaths you're so willing to overlook, did."

The hallway was spacious enough to hold a large number of people if needed, Eren knew due to the rigorous cleaning session Captain Levi had sent him and the others on yesterday. Standing in the middle, the trio had no problem circling the boy. The sandy blonde stood to his right, the brown to his left and the main blonde was before him. Panic sunk its fangs into Eren's heart and he moved to get up, his body protesting against the sudden movement and forcing him to remain in a crouched position. He was fully able to see Yin, view half blocked by the blonde, as he stared up at the man apathetically. "I wish they could see you now," Said the blonde, words leaving him in a venomous hiss. Eren noticed how tense his body was, like a snake ready to strike. "See that, in the end, you couldn't give a damn about what happened to the men and women who-"

"Would you stop, please?" Yin interrupted, sounded as exasperated as he looked. He gave the blonde a particularly bored stare. "I would really rather not embarrass all of you in front of Eren. More for your own sake than his, really." His gaze hardened. "One last chance to walk away."

The blonde stared at Yin, open-mouthed, before scoffing with a faintly amused expression. "You arrogant  _prick_ ," He spat, "It's three against one and you aren't in your fancy armour. So I think-"

"It's one against one, actually," Yin stated, bored expression back in place. It was, Eren found, the face one made when they were forced into a situation they had endured numerous times before.

The blonde shared baffled, yet amused, looks with his friends. There was more than a hint of mockery in his voice when he asked. "How do you figure?" Despite the situation, Eren couldn't help but be rather curious as well. What was the Guardian getting at?

"Once I take out you, the leader, these two will run," Yin explained calmly, gesturing at the blonde and then to the other two men as he spoke. He was speaking as though he were asking how much sugar the men would like in their tea. "Of course, that depends on how loyal they are to you, so we'll see about that."

The blonde looked Yin over, perhaps amused or unimpressed, and Eren had to seriously wonder how stupid the man was to think that he had a pixie's chance in hell of actually beating the White Guardian. Had he not seen Yin walking on the walls, without his armour?! "You, uh, you done this before?"

"Enough times for it to no longer be amusing, especially against prats like you, so if we can get on with it?" Yin truly sounded like he hadn't a care in the world.

The blonde seemed to decide that was enough, slightly turning his body whilst he raised his arms with fists clenched. His friends noticeably readied themselves as well, though seemed to be waiting for their leader to make the first move. Yin said one last thing that gave him a moment's pause. "Remember: I  _warned_  you."

The blonde attacked.

His right fist jutted out in a swift strike that Yin spun around the avoid, manoeuvring himself so his left elbow came into contact with the man's ribs, Then, not even a second later, his right elbow slammed into his solar plexus. He doubled forward with a grunt of pain, only to fall back onto his ass when the boy slammed the back of his right fist into his face.

The sandy blonde and the brown-haired man flinched, clearly taken aback by how quickly their friend had been beaten. But they didn't run as Yin had half expected them too. Though looking as though they were clearly uncomfortable with what was happening, they raised their arms in preparation to fight.

Yin saw this and nodded, looking almost impressed as the blonde groaned on the ground behind him. He rolled his shoulders, saying, "Loyal after all. Okay then, let's get this over with."

He intercepted the sandy blonde's right haymaker with both forearms before slamming it down in a hammer motion with his right fist. The force caused the man's body to straighten, giving Yin the chance to quickly drive his left elbow across his cheek. The man when down like a sack of potatoes, hands flying over his face.

Yin didn't stop for a moment, quickly turning to grab the foot sent towards him in a kick and forcing the leg upwards. The brown-haired man's yelp of surprise turned into a sharp cry of pain when Yin drove his fist into his unprotected groin. His pain allowed Yin to perform his next move, moving closer as his foot moved around the foot keeping the man up. With his free hand, he placed it on the man's chest and shoved as he pulled his foot back to kick the man's leg off the ground. Yin moved his body so he could make the man's back his the ground with a slam that made Eren wince.

Yin straightened, pulled up the ruffled cuffs of his shirt, and turned to the blonde. Up till that moment, the man had been in a crouched position like Eren was. He seemed to have completely forgotten about Eren, despite the fact that he was only a few feet behind him, his entire focus solely on the otherworldly boy. "You..." He breathed and Eren didn't need to see his face to hear that his voice was filled with hate. "wretched, inhuman..."

"I gave you a chance," Yin said wearily. "You should have taken it."

With an enraged roar, the blonde charged at Yin. There was very small space between them so the blonde went directly to attack, a right fist flying. Yin redirected it with the back of his right hand, immediately following with his left hand to grab the arm by the wrist and yank it down, his right hand then moving to attack. The blonde caught it easily by the wrist with his left hand, but Yin simply rolled his hand so he then could grasp the man's wrist. His right hand then shot out in its own fist, connecting solidly with the blonde's chest. He immediately followed with another strike to the chest with his left and then his hands were hammering into the man's chest at rapid speed.

Eren noticed as each strike sent the man back a step, that Yin did do the punch as one normally would. Instead of twisting his wrist as he delivered a punch, he kept his wrist straight. Yin ended his attack by jumping up, connecting his forehead with the blonde's nose. There was a crack, a cry of pain, and the blonde fell to the ground with his hands cradling his face.

Yin stared down at the withering blonde tiredly, expression not hinting to any pleasure or pride in having beaten the trio of men. In that moment, even without his armour, he was unreadable. After giving a sigh, he turned to Eren and the boy felt himself freeze up like a cornered animal.

But Yin wasn't looking at him with anything akin to anger or disgust. Sudden, Eren could very clearly read the expression on his face. He made his way over, stopped in front of him, and produced his left hand. There was a white symbol in his palm and Eren couldn't help but think of five years ago, back on the boat where his life had altered its course. "Are you alright, Eren?" He asked, voice gentle and caring.

Eren looked at the offered palm, disbelieving, then followed the arm it was attached to before meeting Yin's gaze. His Earth brown eyes were earnest and concerned, a far cry from the empty lantern eyes of the Guyver.

A sudden crushing feeling caused Eren to looked down to the ground, unable to stare at the older boy's face for a second longer. He gritted his teeth, fighting hard against the sudden onslaught of pain that threatened to overwhelm him. He didn't deserve it, he knew.

He didn't deserve the Guyver's concern for his life.

To be looked at so kindly.

And so, with that certainty, he ran. Sprinting away from his crouched position and his hero, ignoring his protesting body and how his heart tugged agonizingly when he heard Yin call out his name.

_"I'm a coward."_

That, too, was something he knew with absolute certainty **.**

* * *

"Oh, kid," Josh's face fell with pity, heart swelling with it as he watched the young soldier run. A frustrating cocktail of sadness and vexation swirled in his chest.

"Oi." Recognizing the voice immediately, he turned around and saw the roundhouse kick flying to meet his head.

In the seconds before the kick had finished its journey to his skull, he had two choices to choose from. He could make it so Levi was kicking a stone pillar or something that would cause substantially less damage to his leg. He chose the option which would be easier for all, the latter. He altered the molecular structure of his skull, making the hard carbon bones soft and pliant. The flesh of a Synevite. The only downside to this was that Josh had to endure the odd sensation of his brain morphing to shape his now indented skull. It felt incredibly weird.

He had to admit, the sound Levi made when his leg came into contact was quite satisfying and well worth the oddness.

"What the fuck?" Levi said and Josh was surprised that he didn't say the words louder. The short Captain's face was a picture of revulsion as he watched Josh's skull smoothly morph back into its proper shape.

A sensation as peculiar as the last, this time a sort of odd prickling feeling, filled his head as his skull returned to its normal molecular structure and something popped loudly as he rolled his lower jaw. "Captain," He greeted with a slight dip of his head, face carefully blank.

"Don't 'Captain' me, you little shit." Levi clearly was in no mood for small talk. Pity. He gestured to the groaning men at their feet with a hand. "Would you so kindly explain to me why the fuck you've beaten up these men?" The short man spoke in what was shaping up to be his usually monotone, but his eyes were cold and dangerous. They told him that Levi would attack him if he didn't like what he heard.

So Josh told him the truth. "These men were bullying Eren, blaming him for the deaths of their comrades. I happened to be passing by and decided to stop it. They set their sites on me and attacked me. I responded in kind."

It was brief, barely a second, but something flashed in Levi's dull blue eyes. He cast his eyes to the blonde, who was cradling his broken nose with his hands. Said hands were stained with crimson. Josh reflected on his actions. There had been no real need for him to injure the man, but the site of him standing over Eren like some schoolyard bully had done a masterful job at igniting the anger that had been festering under his skin.

He had been selfish, Josh thought, feeling not even the slightest jot of guilt in the realization. In any other circumstance, he would have dealt with a matter like this with a bit more grace. It had just felt  _so good_  to let loose some of his frustration. Not all of it, perhaps, but just a small bit. And besides, these men had bullied Eren.

Eren Yeager did not deserve that kind of pain. He had to find him when he was done here.

"That true, soldier?" Levi's question brought him back to the world. His voice didn't even hold a hint of anger, despite how frigid his gaze was.

Josh expected the blonde to lie. It wouldn't surprise him, really. He and his brother made such brilliant scapegoats. So it came as quite a shock to him when the blonde said. "Y-yes, Sir."

"Alright then." With that blandly spoken line, Levi promptly kicked the man in the face, blood and what looked like his first and second premolar flying out of his mouth. The blonde's cry of pain was loud in the otherwise silent hallway.

Josh grimaced, a spark of sympathy touching him. He quickly remembered that this was the man who had beaten Eren and ignored the feelings that came with the thought. He promptly decided that he was done here and needed to find Eren. "If you'll excuse me, Captain." Levi didn't seem to notice him leaving and the Brit only half listened to the Captain's dark promises of punishment for the blonde.

He never found Eren, and eventually stopped once it occurred to him that perhaps Eren just didn't want to be near him or Estevan.

The thought upset him more than he'd acknowledge.

* * *

**Later that Night**

Eren stared blankly at the ceiling of the basement, right hand draped over his brow. The Castle's basement was rather spacious, he admitted, perfect for supplies and current undesirable things to be put away. There were even cannons and cannonballs, removed from their positions and left to collect dust. Despite this, there was enough space for Eren to sleep as comfortably as he could.

The boy decided that he must have been one of those undesirable things, thankful that the Captain had at least given him a mattress, covers and a pillow that saved him from sleeping on the ground. His words before he left for some much-needed sleep rang in his mind.  _"I don't want to come down here and find this bed messy, you hear me, brat?"_

_"I hear you, Sir."_ Eren thought, a dark echo of his respectably spoken words hours prior. The Captain  _really_  had a bug up his ass about cleanliness.

The lack of any windows meant Eren had to take a candlestick with him to illuminate the place. Petra had kindly offered to get him more if this proved to be too little and Eren was quite certain that he would take her up on that offer. One candle was proving to hardly be sufficient but did the job lighting the space near Eren. He decided to place some in the candle holders on the walls in the morning. He didn't even bother to wonder why they hadn't already been placed before nightfall.

It was strange. Despite having lost an entire night's sleep thanks to Hanji, he felt remarkably restless. He had spent most of the day cleaning and then-

No, then thought with a frown, it wasn't strange at all.

With a sigh, Eren turned to lay on his side. His emerald eyes looked past the candle and towards the inky darkness, picturing the boxes, equipment and cannons. All sparkling clean, he might add.

After the incident with the trio, Levi had found him hidden away outside the castle. He had taken one look at Eren, who had not exactly been in his best form then, and told him that they wouldn't be bothering him again. Eren didn't even bother asking how the Captain knew, assuming that Yin had told the man after he scampered like a frightened rat. Then, without preamble, the short man had dragged Eren to get clean. He didn't say anything about the blood. Eren was oddly thankful and resentful for that. Once he was, Levi had brought him to the basement, shoved a rug and bucket into his hands and flatly ordered him to make the place  _sparkle_. He didn't even wait for a response as he walked off, muttering something about cleaning the blood.

Eren had the sinking suspicion he had seen the broken window.

Neither Yin nor Yang came to find him and he was so grateful for that. He didn't want either of them to see him for what he truly was. Past the Titan body he could create and control, the loud words he vomited forth like a madman, he was nothing but weak.

_"Weak."_  The word seared deeply into him, just like it did every time, just like it had after the Fall. His fight with the men had proven, all so clearly, that he was only strong when he was within his Titan body. Without it, without that quality that made others see him as a monster, he was nothing. They, a group of mere men, had beaten him so easily that it was laughable.

He had thought back in Trost, or at least it felt like he had thought those thoughts, that he was so beyond those who gawked at him as he carried the Boulder to the ruined gate. That they were weak and inferior compared to him, who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Guardians. But that was stupid, the thoughts of a child who thought themselves better than they really were.

And that was the sum of it, right there.

Eren Yeager was a child, who foolishly thought he was more than he really was. Only his eyes were open now, despite how much he wanted them to be closed again.

And yet, try as he might, he couldn't get those earnest brown eyes out of his mind. Eyes that were worried  _for him_ , eyes that more than implied care  _for him_.

With a weak curse, he got up and took the candle with him. Keeping it at arm's length, he made his way to the stairs of the basement and left it on the bottom step. He didn't plan to be gone long. Climbing up the stairs and silently opening the door, he slipped out.

As he expected, in contrast to his room, candles were burning strong in their holders throughout the hallway. As he made his way through the empty corridors, he was idly aware that there would more than likely be guards posted outside the main entrance of the castle. With that in mind, he made his way to one of the doors that would have him come out the back. No one would be there, he hoped. Just as he turned into the corridor that would have the door at the end, he stopped and practically jumped back around it.

Yin was there.

It had been brief, but Eren was certain it was him. He was, as the echoing sounds told him, walking towards the door. They stopped. There was an odd hum, the sound of a door opening, footsteps and then the sound of a door closing.

Once his heartbeat returned to its more pace, Eren looked over the corner to confirm that yes, Yin was gone. And for the briefest of moments, Eren thought only about retreating back to the basement and hide under the covers till morning.

But the thought was blown away by his overwhelming curiosity.

What was Yin doing up so late? Why had he gone outside? Didn't he sleep?  _Could_  he sleep? So many questions ran through Eren's mind and, before he knew it, he was at the door with his hands pushing the door opening. He looked out and saw that Yin was walking towards the forest, a retreating white figure against the dark of the night. As silently as he could, he pushed the door close behind him and followed, making sure to keep his steps light and his hero within eyesight. He moved faster once Yin's form vanished into the darkness of the forest.

It was a clear night with hardly any clouds in the sky to stop the moonlight from shining down onto the Earth. Because of this, the dark of the forest was illuminated enough by what light could get past the thick tree branches. Eren kept his distance from Yin, making sure that he was close enough to the trees so he could duck behind one if he needed to.

He tried, very much, to not feel like a child playing hide and seek.

Eventually, Yin made his way to a what appeared to be a clearing in the woods. Stopping behind a tree, Eren saw that it was a small patch of clear land where the trees did not grow, leaving a fine, voluminous circular area. With nothing to stop it, the moonlight was free to pour over the land and leave it in an ethereal glow.

Yin stood in the centre of the clearing and remained there, staring up at the night sky. Dressed in a plain set of nightclothes similar to his own, Eren noticed how he almost seemed to be glowing in the moonlight.

"I know you're there," Yin said, without moving, his voice ringing very clearly to Eren and making his blood turn to ice. He hid behind the tree, heart thumping in his chest. What a fool he had been! Of course he couldn't trail the White Guardian without being noticed, there was just no way! Eren heard some slight movement. Had Yin turned in his direction? "If you're planning to attack me, I would highly advise against it. So would you kindly come out before I destroy the area you're currently residing in."

It was less of a request and more of an order, with enough threat to give it meaning. Given the time and place, and the idea that perhaps he wanted to be alone, who could blame Yin?

So Eren did as he was asked. Taking a breath, he moved around the tree so he could be seen by Yin—

Whose eyes immediately widened in surprise at the sight of him. "Oh! Eren, it's you. So sorry, I thought you were someone else."

"It's fine," Eren was quite proud of how composed his voice was. He lowered his eyes away from the Guardian's, feeling a prickling sense of shame was over him. "I-I'm sorry for tailing you, Sir."

"That's quite alright." He didn't dare raise his head, but Eren was certain that he didn't imagine the smile in the older boy's voice. He heard him approach him, stopping once he was a few feet away. "I'm rather surprised that you're still up, considering you were with Hanji all of last night."

"So am I." The exhaustion was there, creeping at the corner of Eren mind like an illness, but he was somehow managing to put it away for the time being. He forced himself to meet Yin's eyes. "How did-?"

"I noticed you sometime after I woke up, though you didn't notice me. You looked like death. Plus, Petra told me."

"Ah, right." And just like that, the conversation came to an end. Looking to the ground again, Eren dared to speak. "I-I'm sorry for bothering you, Sir. I'll-"

"Josh."

"Huh?" Was Eren's intelligent response, unable to hide his bafflement as he stared at the White Guardian.

The boy regarded him softly, eyes as gentle as they were hours ago, hands linked behind his back. "I'm neither your superior, nor part of your military, Eren. So please, just call me Josh or Joshua. Whichever you prefer."

"A-ah! Right! Okay, J-josh..."

Yin- _Josh_ -looked pleased, lips curling upwards slightly. "That's better. Now, seeing as how we're both awake, how would you like to watch the stars with me?"

It was asked so simply, so normally, yet they almost had Eren reeling. From either shock or elation, he couldn't tell. He didn't particularly care. "S-sure." He followed Joshua to the centre of the clearing, pausing just for a moment when the older boy sat down. He did the same, keeping a foot of distance between them. They both looked up at the inky black sky, glittering with stars and the full moon. After a few moments of comfortable silence, Eren found himself speaking. "I haven't...seen the stars since the night of my graduation."

"How long ago was that?" Josh asked.

It gave Eren a moment's pause when he realized that graduation had only been a week ago. Funny that, it felt like a lifetime. He told Josh this.

He hummed, nodding. "Whenever I can't sleep, I'd go out to look at the stars. Think things over. The last time I did was..." Josh paused and Eren looked at him to see his thoughtful expression. He then gave a small sound of amusement, a wan smile gracing his lips, "Lord, must have been before the final battle."

Something cold wiggled into Eren's chest. "The...final battle of your war?"

"Yes."

Eren remembered the trail, the one after his own, and remarked. "You said that your enemy sent you to this world, right?" A nod of confirmation. "Then is the war on your world over?"

"I would think so. In the end, he was all there was, the leader. Our ultimate enemy. His armies were destroyed to the last man, we left none alive. Our world is probably picking up the pieces. Our...comrades will also see to that."

_"We didn't come here by choice."_ That is was Joshua had said in the Courtroom, voice hardened as he explained the reality of them being on their world. The cold feeling in Eren begun to fill his chest. "You're...stranded here?" He almost choked on his own words.

And to his dawning horror, Josh simply nodded. When he spoke, his voice was void of all emotion. "There is no possible way for me or Estevan to reopen a gateway from this world and our own. Such power is beyond us and could be fatal to use." When he seemed to notice that Eren was staring at him, he looked at him and something broke in Eren when he saw the resigned defeat in his brown eyes. "Yes, I'd say that we are."

"I-I'm sorry." Eren pulled his knees into his chest, looking away. "I-I didn't mean-"

"It's fine." The Guardian said, a touch sharply. "You didn't know."

Silence fell like a thick, choking blanket. Eren cursed himself to hell over and over again.  _"Well done Eren, gold star! You fucked that up royally, you stupid, stupid brat!"_

Just as he was about to excuses himself, to spare the Guyver from suffering any further grievances from his own stupidity, Josh shredded the silence by speaking. His voice held not a hint of anger. "You never answered my question, you know."

Eren looked back at the older boy, baffled. "Question?"

Joshua, who was looking towards the darkness of the forest, uttered. "Are you alright, Eren?"

Eren's chest tightened. "I'm fine," He muttered, looking away again.

"We both know that's not true."

"But I am! Really, my wounds have healed-"

"Oh, I can clearly see that. Must be because of your Titan powers. And we both know that's not what I was referring to." His voice maddeningly calm.

It was strange, really. In place of what should have been defensive anger or bluntness, to push away those who got too close for his liking, there was only a growing sense of aching despair. What was happening?  _How_  was this happening? Eren found himself having to force his words out. "I'm...I'm fine."

"You don't have to lie to me, Eren." His voice was so gentle, in a way that reminded Eren of his mother. God, he missed her. He hadn't been able to see her after the trial, she had been denied to see him. He wished she was here, just to feel her arms wrap around him and encompass him in her warmth. He could feel Josh's eyes on him, watching him. "You can talk to me, honestly. Whatever's bothering you."

Something in Eren was rising, bubbling towards the surface, not anger. To his overwhelming horror, he realised that his eyes were watery. He raised his hands to his face, scrubbing away the swelling tears desperately before they had a chance to traitorously roll down his face. "Nothing's–" He breathed hoarsely and it was utterly sickening, he thought, how much he sounded like a petulant child.

And then, without hearing the prior movement, Joshua was next to him and had wrapped his arm around Eren's shoulder to pull him close. Something warm exploded messily inside Eren's chest and he stiffed before trying to move away. But the lone arm was firm and refused to let him go and Josh said soothingly, "It's okay, Eren."

It took Eren a second to realize that the contact had made him start to  _cry_  and rage flared so suddenly and violently that he was certain that he was going to turn into a Titan right then and there.

How could he be so blind, he wondered furiously. How could he  _not_  understand? Didn't the hero see that Eren didn't  _deserve_  this, wasn't  _allowed_  it? No matter how palpable his loneliness was, no matter how much he longed for someone to reach out and not draw back as though he was about to bite off their fingers, this was the last thing he deserved.

He was a monster, and monsters didn't deserve kindness.

And yet, Eren acknowledged as the rage drained away as quickly at it had flared, the person who was Guyver Yin didn't let go. Didn't look at him with hate or fear and was holding him in a genuine attempt to comfort him.

He cared.

Eren broke.

It happened beyond his control, without any transition of realization or dawning understanding, he stopped struggling and pushed his face deep into the older boy's chest. His body shook with the weight of all his pain, frustration and confusion and he was so glad his face couldn't be seen at the moment. He didn't want Joshua to see his face. There was, he found, something so cathartic about letting his grief out for a change instead of just hiding it under heaps of faux anger.

Why was it that only matters involving the Guyvers brought this out of him? Annie would be disappointed.

"Oh kid," Josh sounded as though he was in pain himself and Eren felt his hold on him tighten. His hand went from his shoulder to his head, fingers gently rubbing his scalp. Eren found himself curling just a little bit more into the hero's side.

For a while, there was nothing but them, the dark, and the moon.

Eren didn't how long it had been once he pulled away from Josh, but he reckoned it must have been a while by how conspicuous the tear stain was on his nightclothes. He rubbed his eyes, speaking lowly. "M'sorry..."

"Don't be," Josh replied immediately, seriously. He moved back a bit and Eren hated how he missed the contact. Now fully facing Eren with his legs drawn to his chest and chin resting on his chin, and almost perfect mirror of Eren's current position, he pinned the boy with an intense stare. "You had every right to be upset. It's good; means you're still human. That you can still feel." He grimaced, uttering gently. "What those men said to you...it hurt, right?"

That was but a small part of what had made Eren Yeager, the suicidal bastard of the 104th Training Corps, break down so spectacularly. He looked away and answered. "Yes."

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Josh look down himself. "...I should have done more than break his nose." His voice was quiet, thoughtful, and it sounded as though he was speaking it himself rather than Eren.

Eren shook his head. "It doesn't matter," He said tiredly.

"Yes, it does." It was a fairly mild night, Eren remembered with a shiver. And yet Joshua's voice, a glacial whisper, seemed to suck the warmth out of the area. Eren looked back at him, seeing his eyes still downcast. "They had  _no right_  to blame you for the deaths of those people who died beyond the Walls, Eren, their deaths weren't your fault. And to call you a  _freak_ -" The word was spat with disgust and Eren didn't miss the flicker of honest anger roll onto his face. It almost didn't fit, he thought. It would have looked more at home on his brother's face. It faded away as he continued bitterly. "They deserved  _worse_  for calling you such a thing, for hurting you, especially after all you did for them."

Eren sat quietly, regarding the other boy before him, considering what he could say next. Eventually, he asked, "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make me out to be a hero? Like I saved Trost?"

"Because you did." Josh said this as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"But you and Yang-"

" _Estevan_  and I fought off the Titans whilst you carried a boulder, twice the size of your Titan body, and blocked the hole in Trost's gate.  _You_  saved Trost, kid. All me and my brother did was back you up."

Eren shook his head again, smiling sadly. His eyes fell back to the spot between him and Josh. Both had a simple pair of slip-on shoes on their feet. "You don't have to do this."

"Do what?"

"Be so nice to me."

He felt the older boy's eyes on him. "What on Earth makes you think that I'm  _pretending_?" He sounded baffled, perhaps even a little bit hurt.

"It doesn't  _matter_  what I think," Eren said, squeezing his eyes shut once he registered how much of a  _whine_  his words sounded. His eyes were sore. "No one cares, what does it matter what I do or think, only so long as I can... _change_." There wasn't a word Eren could think of that could justly describe his ability to turn into a Titan. He didn't  _want_  a word to describe his ability, despite how many apt words came to mind.

"...Well then," Josh spoke up after a small pause, voice hushed. Eren tried to imagine the face he was making. "It may come as a surprise to you, kid, but we  _do_  care about you. Me and my brother."

" _Why?_ " And so, Eren expressed the main flaw with all his stupid childish dreams to one of the heroes that inspired said dreams. "I mean, you barely know me. You saved my life before, sure, but you barely know me. And you're- I mean..." He trailed off, too afraid to finish. There were so many words he could use to describe the Guyvers, but none that he could actually say to them face to face.

After an indiscernible amount of time, Joshua sighed and Eren opened his eyes when he heard the sound of rustling clothes. He raised his eyes to watch the older boy get to his feet, looking down at him. He was haloed by the moonlight, making it seem like he was glowing white. Rather fitting, all things considered. "Look at me, Eren." He said, spreading both arms out. "What do you see?"

"Joshua?" Eren furrowed his brows, confusion overtaking his pain. The hero was looking at him with an expression that spoke in infinite weariness. It made him look like an old man trapped in a boy's body.

"You see the same thing as everyone else, something that can do the impossible. Something more than human." With a sad sigh as his arms fell at his sides, Josh thickly spat the word that the legends about him as his brother had been built upon: "A  _God_."

Eren's confusion mounted along with his interest. He wondered where was the White Guardian going with this.

"But I'm not a God, Eren. I'm just a kid with too much power." When Eren opened his mouth to counter this, to insist to the older boy that he was wrong to label himself as something so meagre, Josh raised a hand to stop him. "It's true, Eren. The Guyver is just a suit, a weapon. It isn't who I am. Sure, I can do things no normal human can, but that doesn't make me more than anyone else. I'm simply... _powerful_. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Who I am now, is someone who's...seen things. Things you people wouldn't believe. Things that defy rational thought. Both amazing and... _terrifying_." Eren didn't miss the momentary flash in Josh's eyes as he briefly looked away, hinting to some terrible memory. He didn't even bother to consider what kind of things could inspire such a look. Josh swallowed and continued, eyes moving above to look behind Eren as they went distant. "At my core, at the core of Guyver Yin, is someone who always tries to do the right thing. Someone who is able to find hope in even the darkest of situations.

"And to be honest I...didn't see much hope in this world when I first came to it. It seemed too far gone, too broken." His Earth brown eyes returned to Eren's emerald ones, firm and convinced. "That was before I saw you emerge from the neck of a Titan."

"What are you-?" Eren stared inconceivably at the older boy, his mind failing to understand the words pouring from his mouth.

Josh gave a soft, amused sound before spreading his arms wide. "Look around you, Eren." He instructed gently and the boy did so. He looked at the moonlit grass, the dry, cracked Earth and the darkness that the thick tree branches caused. "This is your world. This everything you know, everything you have, and everything you stand to lose. It's a bleak world, one can not deny, with hope practically non-existent among the people. The combined might of your Military doesn't have a chance of defeating the Titans, but we do. You, me and Estevan. We have the power, we have the commitment, we can do it.

"Together, we  _can_  save this world."

Eren blinked. Then blinked again, and once more. His brain took in the word and confirmed that yes, Guyver Yin believed that  _he_  could help  _them_  save the world. Eren shook his head. This was getting ridiculous now. "I can't..." He muttered, looking back down at the space between him and Josh.

"Can't what?"

"Help you."

"Why.  _Not_?"

"BECAUSE I'M NOT LIKE YOU!" Eren roared, flying to his feet as anger shot through him with startling suddenness. His words echoed and were swallowed in the darkness surrounding the clearing. Joshua didn't so much as flinch, expression sad and questioning. Anger quickly turned into shame that made Eren lower his head. That was uncalled for, he knew. Josh had done nothing to warrant an outburst from him. "I...I only just gained this power and I barely understand how it works! I mean, with I do something wrong? What if everyone dies because of me?! What then?!"

"That won't happen," Josh said simply, quietly, each word like steel. "I know it won't."

"And what makes you think that?" Eren could hear the slight hysteria in his voice and hated it.

"Because me and Estevan will be there, by your side, every step of the way. Should, God forbid, something  _does_  go wrong, we'll figure something out. Or  _I_  will, rather." Josh stated, the last bit mumbled and spoken more to himself that to Eren. He then added softly. "And because we trust you."

Eren stared at him, trying to see a hint of doubt or lie in him. He waited for him look away and try and say something completely irrelevant to what he had been saying prior, to see the unease as though he were staring at a caged animal. An animal that would tear out his throat if he got too close.

He saw none of this. Joshua Martin had meant every word.

Eren deflated with a sigh, feeling the exhaustion sink its fangs deep into his brain. His eyes, still slightly sore, felt heavy. "I don't understand," He said, gazing tiredly at the older boy. He saw him raise a brow, question unsaid. "How can you trust me?"

"Like I said before, you saved Trost. You proved yourself to me, to  _us_ , ages ago, Eren. We know we can trust you, without a doubt. So do your sister and best friend." Josh gave a soft sound of amusement, smiling slightly as he eyes briefly dropped to the ground. They had a distant look in them again, recalling some fond memory, Eren bet. "Wars have been won on much, much less."

The older boy's smile grew as wide and as warm as a pair of outstretched arms as he refocused his attention to Eren again. "I would not ask if I did not believe, but I do. Estevan does too, you can be certain of that. So, what do you say, kid?

"Want to help us save the world?"

It was asked so casually, like something said between friends and Eren wondered if that was what they were now. He and the Guyvers, friends,

Childhood dream accomplished.

It occurred to Eren that Joshua wasn't ordering Eren, he was giving him a  _choice_. He was offering Eren a chance to walk away, if that was what he wanted, without any threat to his words.

Eren wondered when was the last time he had been offered such a choice.

He also wondered if Josh seriously thought he was going to walk away.

Collecting himself, holding onto the warm feeling his chest and not letting it go, he said. "It would be my honour, Joshua."

The hero's smile turned into a full-blown grin, looking very pleased, eyes sparkling. "Excellent!" He crowed as he clapped his hands together, looking as though he wanted to start bouncing around the area.

Eren smiled, he couldn't help it-

-and promptly yawned.

He flushed when Josh's grin fell into a knowing, warm smile. "I think that's enough for one night. Time for bed! C'mon," He made his way over to Eren, making a gesture with his hand. "We'll have more time to talk in the morning." He promised.

Eren found he could believe that promise. "Right," He felt slightly breathless as he followed the hero, now walking side by side with him. Not as equals, he reminded himself firmly, but as friends.  _"Friends,"_ He savoured the word, the elation of the warmth in his heart. And to think, he had been so worried for nothing.

They walked back to the castle, blanketed in a soothing silence, and suddenly Eren found himself looking forward to what the next day would bring.

* * *

Dull blue eyes watched the pair leave. The pair of kids.

After that little show, there was little doubt left in his mind that was what the two were. It was so easy for people, especially those who had been soldiers for as long as he had, to forget that everyone was young and stupid at some point. He had expected Yeager to be a bit messed up in the head, what with all the shit that had fallen onto him of late, but Yin—

Was that earnest young man, perhaps no more than two years older than Eren, really the White Guardian? Could one of the fable Heroes of the People really be this person who accepted Eren with open arms and believed in him so firmly?

If so, Levi thought, humanity was fucked right up the ass.

Sighing, the short man silently made his way back to the castle via his own route. He had gotten the layout and surrounded areas of the castle memorised the day they arrived.

Erwin will want to hear about this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I just...wow.
> 
> This one really got away from me. Clocking in at over 30K words, barring the author notes, I certainly hope this makes up for the long wait. It's easily one of the longest chapters I've ever written.
> 
> Right then, as mentioned above, things to talk about:
> 
> I have a lot to thank for this second wind. Firstly, Abridged on Titan and A Slap on Titan by Reality Punch Studios and tomandre respectively. I can't recommend these shows enough. Seriously, these are awesome parody series! The latter in particular really helped with the humour of this chapter, and props to anyone who finds the reference.
> 
> I also had the luck of discovering writers Dorminchu, Sevlow and synergenic. I highly recommend these two as well, both brilliant writers whose work needs to be known. The former has written some of the best Attack On Titan stories I've ever read and the latter is quite famous for this superb Fullmetal Alchemist stories. He manages to take an anime and make it realistic, almost eerily so. If you're looking for truly gut-wrenching angst stories, even if you're not a fan of Fullmetal Alchemist, then look no further than Sevlow. You will not be disappointed. And finally, synergenic. There are no words that can describe how emotionally raw this stories are, how strongly they tug at your heart. His story "Après Toi" in particular is beautiful. It really helped me a lot with Eren's character.
> 
> Also, a huge shout out to melishade, author of the fantastic story Attack On Prime. My friend Asura94 introduced me to her and her dedication to continuing her story, despite the recent attacks she's suffered from some truly vile trolls, has earned my respect. I won't lie, her story helped me a lot in the shaping of this story. This chapter, in particular, owes a lot of thanks to her. Bollocks to the trolls and their drivel, her stories are awesome and she has my support.
> 
> Now, the last thing I promise, what's coming next. I'm back on this story and, as said above, want to see it finished. Work, as it happens, actually helped with writing. Minds more active, helped me churn out more ideas. I can't promise that the next chapter will be out in a week, but know that I am working hard on it. Two new chapters out before the year is done, that's my goal. Let's see if I can make it.
> 
> The chapters after the next will be sort of like filler, focusing less on action and more on character development. I've thought hard about this and I plan to include them in this story. It's safe to say that characterization was all over the place in the last few chapters, with me almost wishing to delete the previous chapters and rewrite them, so these next ones will focus on that. Also, which is my main goal for them, is to flesh out the Guyvers. They are not Marty Sues. These boys are flawed, they have limitations, and the next few chapters will offer hints into this. Don't worry if you fear there'll be many, I plan to do (at most) five or six before we get onto the expedition. It really depends on how much I want to cover.
> 
> Well, that's everything covered.
> 
> Please let me know if you think this was good or not and, until then, this is me signing off!


End file.
